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Jimmy Butler questionable as Warriors, Rockets gear up for Game 4

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State WarriorsApr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) and forward Jimmy Butler III (right) hug after defeating the Houston Rockets during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors survived one playoff game without Jimmy Butler. They are hoping he’s not a spectator again on Monday night.

Golden State will learn sometime before tipoff whether they will have their star forward in Game 4 when it hosts the Houston Rockets in Game 4 at San Francisco.

Butler, who is listed as questionable, missed Saturday’s 104-93 home win over the Rockets due to a pelvic injury and glute muscle soreness after he was injured in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr doesn’t yet have a feel of whether Butler will suit up when his team attempts to stretch its lead to 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

“He’s literally day-to-day,” Kerr said. “We have (Sunday) off and it will be helpful for him to have another day. It’s a night game so he gets a few extra hours. We’ll see. I have no idea right now if he will play.”

Butler was a force in Game 1 when he contributed 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals in Golden State’s 95-85 road victory.

With Butler watching from the bench Saturday, veteran Stephen Curry guided the Warriors back from a 13-point deficit to post a pivotal victory.

Curry scored 36 points to move into 10th place on the NBA’s all-time postseason scoring list with 4,053 points. He passed former San Antonio Spurs great Tony Parker (4,045).

Curry also had nine assists and seven rebounds in a strong all-around effort.

“This is what superstars do in playoff games,” Kerr said. “You can’t win games without the great players in this league. When you go deep, the playoffs get tougher and tougher, and great players just give the whole team confidence. And that’s what Steph does.”

Golden State also received 42 bench points in the victory. Buddy Hield scored 17 points and Gary Payton II had 16 on 7-of-9 shooting.

“The intensity is fun, it’s great,” Hield said of the postseason stage. “You just have to enjoy the moment and seize the moment. You can’t be shy.”

Houston is kicking itself after letting a golden opportunity get away. The Rockets began the fourth quarter with a 71-69 lead before Golden State turned things up a notch and outscored Houston 35-22 in the decisive period.

“I thought they executed at a higher level than we did,” said Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, who tallied a team-leading 17 points.

VanVleet was among the Houston backcourt players powerless to slow Curry, who had 21 second-half points. Curry is averaging 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds and has made 14 of 31 3-point shots in the series.

“We’re not going to hold him to three points every time we play him, I think we’ve got to understand that,” VanVleet said. “He’s one of the all-time greats. I think our coverages were a little slow, some of the switching and some of the physicality were a touch down from where we had it ramped up the previous game.”

Rockets guard Jalen Green was unable to follow up his stellar 38-point outing in Game 2. He had just nine points on 4-of-11 shooting for his second anemic game of the series. Green had seven points on 3-of-15 shooting in Houston’s Game 1 loss.

“We gave him too much separation in Game 2,” Kerr said. “They did a good job of getting him downhill and creating space. We did a better job (Saturday night) of taking away some of his space.”

Alperen Sengun paces Houston with averages of 19.3 points and 12 rebounds in the series. Green averages 18 points. VanVleet is averaging 11.3 points but shooting just 26.8 percent (11 of 41).

–Field Level Media

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Ryan Kreidler's late-game heroics guide Twins past Cardinals

May 30, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Minnesota Twins outfielder Ryan Kreidler (5) at the batting cage before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesMay 30, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Twins outfielder Ryan Kreidler (5) at the batting cage before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Ryan Kreidler’s RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning made the difference for the Minnesota Twins in their 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday in Minneapolis.

The two-bagger off Cardinals reliever George Soriano (3-1) hit the wall in left center to cap a brief but successful day for the shortstop, who singled as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Kriedler also made a diving play on a sharp grounder by Jose Fermin to start the ninth. Fermin initially was ruled safe, but that was overturned when the replay showed Kriedler’s throw beat Fermin by a half-step.

Byron Buxton enjoyed a 3-for-5 day while Kody Clemens and Josh Bell both went 2-for-4 for the Twins, who took the rubber match of the three-game series. Victor Caratini added a two-run homer.

Buxton and Royce Lewis hit RBI singles in the seventh to level the game for the Twins.

Andrew Morris (2-2) allowed just one hit in the eighth inning and struck out three to keep the game tied. Yoendrys Gomez pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save.

JJ Wetherholt went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs for the Cardinals. Nathan Church went 2-for-3 and scored a run, and Alec Burleson homered to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games.

Burleson gave the Cardinals the early lead with his 13th home run, a solo shot off Twins starter Taj Bradley in the fourth. However, Caratini went deep off Michael McGreevy in the latter half of the inning to put Minnesota up 2-1.

Bradley lasted 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven against five hits and a walk, but the Cardinals got to him for all four runs.

Wetherholt’s two-run homer in the sixth allowed St. Louis to reclaim the lead. After the Cardinals chased Bradley in the seventh with back-to-back two-out singles, Wetherholt singled off reliever Anthony Banda to give them a 4-2 lead.

McGreevy threw six innings, allowing just the two runs on Caratini’s homer. He gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out two. However, the bullpen could not secure his first victory since May 8.

Soriano struck out three in 1 2/3 innings, but he allowed three hits in addition to the go-ahead run.

–Field Level Media

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Uruguay travel to Miami delayed by administrative issues

Nov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (2) reacts following the loss against Portugal in the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn ImagesNov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (2) reacts following the loss against Portugal in the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

The Uruguay national team hadn’t arrived in Miami as of early Sunday night for its Monday match against Saudi Arabia in the World Cup and was blaming FIFA for the troubles, according to published reports.

The flight reportedly was delayed for hours due to administrative issues, including some missing paperwork, and had officials scrambling to line up a new flight.

The Athletic reported that a member of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) said FIFA was responsible for the traveling snafu.

FIFA is in charge of all travel related to the 48-team World Cup.

Uruguay is training in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and held a practice on Sunday. When the traveling delegation reached the airport in Cancun, approximately 45 miles away, they learned the group was not authorized to enter the United States.

The AUF said that a second plane from South Florida was en route to pick up the squad, while players waited at a resort outside Cancun for further information.

The match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia is slated for 6 p.m. ET.

“Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed,” the AUF said in a statement. “The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4.15 pm.”

The issue certainly ranks as a logistical nightmare for Uruguay with it occurring the day before the game.

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa and team captain Jose Maria Gimenez missed Sunday’s scheduled press conference in South Florida due to the issue. The festivities were pushed back to 8 p.m. ET and the AUF reportedly could face sanctions by FIFA if the press conference doesn’t take place.

Uruguay and Saudi Arabia will play their first match of Group H at Miami Gardens, Fla. The other members of the group, Spain and Cape Verde, will play Monday in Atlanta.

–Field Level Media

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Rays avoid sweep with 5-run eighth vs. Angels

Jun 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA;  Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates as he scores a run after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesJun 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates as he scores a run after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Junior Caminero’s 15th home run of the season triggered a five-run eighth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif.

Victor Mesa Jr. also stroked a two-run homer in the eighth for the Rays, who snapped a 3-3 tie to avoid being swept in the three-game series. The Angels saw their season high-tying four-game winning streak come to a close.

Right-hander Kevin Kelly (4-2) struck out three in two innings to earn the win. He was the third of the Rays’ six pitchers in a bullpen game.

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on Denzer Guzman’s two-out single that drove in Jo Adell.

With one out and the bases loaded in the third, the Angels lost starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to lower back tightness. Chandler Simpson hit a two-out, two-run single off reliever Chase Silseth to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.

Tampa Bay’s Ben Williamson hit his first home run of the season in the fourth to push the lead to 3-1.

Donovan Walton’s first home run as an Angel made it 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, then Adell made it 3-3 with an RBI single. Left-hander Ian Seymour was charged with both runs.

After Caminero’s home run in the eighth, Hunter Feduccia’s single rove in Richie Palacios and Mesa’s second home run of the season made it 8-3. All five runs in the inning were charged to Angels right-hander Sam Bachman (1-1).

The Angels threatened in the bottom of the eighth against Craig Kimbrel when Adell was hit by a pitch and Nolan Schanuel walked to open the inning. Nick Madrigal walked with one out to load the bases.

Reliever Garrett Cleavinger came on and struck out pinch hitters Trey Mancini and Oswald Peraza to end the threat.

–Field Level Media

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