Sports
Kings hope to avoid unfortunate franchise history against Pelicans
Feb 7, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard-forward Daeqwon Plowden (29) reacts after getting charged for a foul against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images The Sacramento Kings are looking to avoid setting an ignominious franchise record when they face the host New Orleans Pelicans on Monday evening.
With a 132-126 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night, the Kings lost their 12th straight game. That equals the mark held by the 1997-98 team for the most consecutive losses since the franchise moved from Kansas City to Sacramento ahead of the 1985-86 season.
Nique Clifford had a career-high 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting followed by Russell Westbrook with 21 points and nine assists, as Sacramento was without four of its leading scorers in Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray. Clifford and Westbrook each made five 3-pointers.
“I got some good looks (Saturday), and my teammates were finding me, putting me in good positions to score the ball, and the shots were falling for me,” Clifford said.
The rookie first-round pick out of Colorado State is emblematic of coach Doug Christie’s pivot towards a youth movement as the Kings, who have made the playoffs just once in the last 19 seasons, attempt to alter their fate.
“The name of the game is to win the game, so that part hurts, but to watch these guys begin to find their way, find their rhythm and compete against some really good teams and put themselves consistently in position to win the ballgame (is encouraging),” Christie said. “Now, there’s a learning curve of how to do it, and it’s difficult. It’s difficult to win in our league.”
Second-year guard Devin Carter scored 18 points, and two-way player Daeqwon Plowden had 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Rookie center Maxime Raynaud had 14 points and seven rebounds. Undrafted rookie Dylan Cardwell had a double-double off the bench with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Monday night’s clash is the first of three games with the Pelicans this season and the only one in New Orleans.
Saddiq Bey had 30 points, including two free throws with 10.8 seconds left, and Zion Williamson added 29 points, highlighted by a critical three-point play with 35.5 seconds to play, as the Pelicans defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-115 to end a three-game losing streak and conclude a 1-3 road trip.
Bey, who is averaging 16.7 points per game, has three 30-plus-point games so far in 2026 after he had none in the first three months of the season.
“In general, we followed and executed the gameplan, the task, especially defensively. … Our guys battled, got stops when we needed to,” New Orleans coach James Borrego said. “Saddiq made huge plays. … We understand we’re going to have to win clutch games to win games. We’re learning how to close.”
Trey Murphy III had 26 points and six rebounds, while Derik Queen had 17 points and eight rebounds in the win over the Timberwolves. A rookie center who had just 10 3-pointers on 47 attempts coming into the contest, Queen went 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.
The Pelicans shot 44.1% (15 for 34) from 3-point land in the game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (back) exits after one inning
May 6, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow was removed after pitching one inning against the host Houston Astros on Wednesday with low back pain.
Glasnow allowed a first-inning home run to Brice Matthews and attempted to return in the second. After several warmup pitches, Glasnow, 32, motioned for trainers, who along with manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game.
Glasnow’s first-inning strikeout of Yordan Alvarez was the 1,000th of his career.
A 2024 All-Star with Los Angeles, Glasnow was 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA entering his seventh start this season. He signed a five-year, $136.5 million contract before the 2024 season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to skip Preakness
Trainer Cherie DeVaux, in red jacket at left, helps lift the Kentucky Derby trophy with Daisy Phipps Pulito (representing Phipps Stable) and Vincent Viola (of St. Elias Stable) after Golden Tempo won the 2026 Kentucky Derby. May 2, 2026. For the second consecutive year, the Kentucky Derby winner will not run in the Preakness Stakes, as Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux announced Wednesday the horse will skip the second leg of the Triple Crown and compete in the Belmont Stakes next month.
“Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort,” DeVaux wrote in a statement posted to X.
Golden Tempo was a 23-1 long shot on Saturday but made a late charge down the stretch to edge out favorite Renegade. The victory made DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.
Last year, Sovereignty passed on the Preakness, and many trainers feel is too close to the Kentucky Derby — two weeks apart — and makes it difficult to keep a horse healthy for big races in the summer and fall.
The Preakness will be held May 16 at Laurel Park south of Baltimore, due to Pimlico undergoing a grandstand renovation. Pimlico is scheduled to host the 2027 Preakness.
As of Wednesday afternoon, none of the 19 horses who participated in the Kentucky Derby have committed to compete in the Preakness.
The Belmont is slated for June 6 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., due to ongoing construction at the main Belmont Park facility on Long Island, N.Y.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lakers G Luka Doncic frustrated and unsure of return
Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) stands on the court during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic broke his silence Wednesday about the hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined since early April.
He told reporters at the team hotel in Oklahoma City he doesn’t know when he can rejoin the Lakers, who lost 108-90 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Thunder on Tuesday night.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said. “I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I want to do is play basketball, especially this time. It’s the best time to play basketball.
“It’s very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough to just to sit and watch them play.”
Doncic, 27, sustained the Grade 2 strain in his left hamstring five weeks ago on April 2 in Oklahoma City. He missed the last five games of the regular season and sat out the six-game first-round playoff series win against the Houston Rockets.
“The day I did the MRI on the hamstring, the doctor told me eight weeks (recovery) at the beginning,” Doncic said. “I’m doing everything I can in the process, and I think we’re on a good way. But at the beginning, he told me eight weeks.”
Doncic averaged a league-high 33.5 points with 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in 64 games (all starts) in the regular season.
The six-time All-Star guard was noncommittal when asked about his potential return later in this series, with Game 3 set for Saturday in Los Angeles.
“I’m just doing everything I can,” said Doncic, who has started running but has not participated in any contact drills. “Every day, I’m doing stuff I’m supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I’m working. … Just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”
Doncic said he has been proceeding with caution during his recovery, which included traveling to Spain to receive platelet-rich plasma therapy.
“It’s a tough one for me because I came back from injuries before too soon, and it wasn’t the best result,” Doncic said. “You have to be very careful, and I’m doing everything to come back. All the recovery, the (hyperbaric) chamber, cold tub, everything I can to come back, but it’s obviously very different than other injuries I had.”
–Field Level Media
Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (back) exits after one inning
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to skip Preakness
