Sports
Lakers' vets paving way for series sweep over Rockets
Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with guard Luke Kennard (10) after scoring a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The two elder statesmen of the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James and Marcus Smart, had shouldered the load of a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of that first-round series, performing with the ideal blend of poise and desperation.
In the aftermath of the Lakers’ 112-108 overtime road victory, a win that provided the Lakers a 3-0 series lead and an opportunity to complete the sweep in Game 4 on Sunday, James was asked how he and his teammates mustered the gumption to dig deep and outlast the younger, healthier, and presumably hungrier Rockets.
James answered a question with a question.
“What else are we going to do?” James said. “We don’t have the luxury of thinking about another game. We have to be in the moment.
“I keep harping on it: we are missing some very important pieces to our ballclub. We don’t have the luxury of being passive or being complacent. Our whole mindset is we have to do everything it takes in that particular game, in that particular moment, in that particular possession in order for us to win basketball games because we don’t have a long leash or a lot of room for error.”
Initially left for dead without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) — the latter is listed as questionable for Game 4 — the Lakers continue to defy the odds in both grand and minute ways. James (29 points, 13 rebounds, six assists) and Smart (21 points, 10 rebounds, five steals) were Herculean throughout Game 3, yet more was required in the waning moments, with the Rockets leading 101-95 and in possession with 30 seconds left.
Smart duped Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. into throwing an ill-advised pass, nabbed the ball, and drew a critical foul on Jae’Sean Tate while attempting a 3-pointer. Smart sank all three free throws to shave the deficit in half, and James followed by forcing a backcourt turnover on the ensuing Houston possession before drilling a trey with 13.6 seconds left to force overtime.
The Lakers coughed up a 15-point lead. Their hot shooting in the first half cooled considerably. But just when the Lakers appeared stuck in the mud, they discovered what was needed to survive. And after creating a second opportunity, the Lakers seized it in the extra period.
“Everything that we needed to do, even when it wasn’t pretty, we just found a way to do it,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “We’re playing hard. You have to do that to put yourself in a position to win.
“There are some things that we can execute better, but I thought from the beginning of the game we played with a sense of desperation, and we played like a team that was down (in the series).”
The Rockets were without their leading scorer, Kevin Durant, in Game 3. He is listed as questionable for Game 4 with Durant desperately treating the ankle sprain he sustained late in Game 2. Without Durant, the Rockets started the second-youngest lineup in a playoff game since starters were tracked in 1970-71, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That youth was evident late.
Smith and Reed Sheppard committed baffling turnovers. The Rockets failed to run the correct play after James’ game-tying 3. The Rockets are a whopping plus-63 in field goal attempts in the series, but they’ve shot 28.7% from behind the arc. Houston has squandered its chances.
There is no precedent for a team rallying from an 0-3 series deficit. The Rockets will be challenged to get off the mat facing that history.
“Disappointed with the ending,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “Some good things before that … so you’re doing some good things with the opportunity. But now you’ve got to go get one on Sunday.
“Don’t let this one beat you twice.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Sox stay hot with another win over Dodgers
Aug 1, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle (70) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images Ceddanne Rafaela hit two home runs, Andruw Monasterio doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the visiting Boston Red Sox slipped past the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Saturday.
Left-hander Payton Tolle gave up two runs on nine hits over six innings with seven strikeouts as the Red Sox opened August with a victory after they went 21-4 in July to set a franchise record for a full month with a .840 winning percentage.
Right-hander Justin Slaten (2-4) replaced Tolle and pitched the seventh inning before left-hander Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth inning for his 27th save as Boston played without first baseman Willson Contreras as a precaution after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch on Friday.
After winning the first two games in the series, the Red Sox are 5-1 on a seven-game road California road trip that included a stop to face the Athletics.
Teoscar Hernandez hit a home run among his three hits for the Dodgers, who lost for the fourth time in their past six games. Freddie Freeman also had three hits and has seven multi-hit games over his last nine contests.
Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7) continued a run of solid pitching since the All-Star break by allowing three runs on four hits over eight innings but still took the loss. The Dodgers had 10 hits to four for the Red Sox but were hitless in four at-bats with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.
Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Rafaela hit his first home run of the game on a drive to left-center field against Yamamoto.
The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on Hernandez’s two-run home run to right field. It was his 10th of the season and second in three games.
Boston tied the score 2-2 in the third on another home run from Rafaela. It was his 14th of the season and his third in a span of four at-bats going back to the series opener on Friday.
Monasterio doubled to lead off the eighth, went to third on a Jarren Duran bunt single and scored on a double-play grounder by Connor Wong.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres upend Giants on Jake Cronenworth's late heroics
Aug 1, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (9) celebrates after hitting a walk-off single during the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Jake Cronenworth’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the San Diego Padres to a 6-5 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.
Xander Bogaerts started the winning rally by lining a double off Dylan Smith (0-3). After Freddy Fermin sacrificed Bogaerts to third, pinch hitter Gavin Sheets grounded out to third. San Francisco manager Tony Vitello ordered an intentional walk to Fernando Tatis Jr.
Cronenworth got behind Smith 0-2 and fouled off four pitches before lining a fastball into center field for his sixth career walk-off hit. It was San Diego’s eighth walk-off win of the season.
Mason Miller (4-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, although he blew his first save in 29 chances this season. The Giants’ Osleivis Basabe rifled a two-run double to the left field wall in the eighth to erase a 5-3 deficit.
Neither starter was involved in the decision. San Francisco’s Tyler Mahle allowed five runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings with two walks and a season-high nine strikeouts. San Diego’s Walker Buehler left after 4 1/3 innings, eight hits and three runs, walking two and fanning one.
Jackson Merrill gave the Padres a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, lining a two-out double to the wall in left-center that scored Manny Machado and Ty France.
The Giants responded with three runs in the third. Basabe, who got the start after Luis Arraez was scratched due to cramping, walloped a two-run homer — his first of 2026 — to left that traveled an estimated 402 feet. Three straight two-out singles led to Willy Adames’ bases-loaded walk that put San Francisco ahead.
The lead didn’t last long. Fermin put San Diego back in front in the fourth, lining a first-pitch fastball an estimated 383 feet to the left field seats with Luis Rengifo aboard. It was Fermin’s fourth homer.
Fermin upped the Padres’ advantage to 5-3 in the sixth when he drilled a two-out single to left that scored Bogaerts, who singled and advanced to second on a balk.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rafael Navarro's late penalty kick lifts Rapids past Austin FC
Aug 1, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rapids forward Rafael Navarro (9) and Austin FC defender Brendan Hines-Ike (4) battle for the ball in the first half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Rafael Navarro converted a penalty kick in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time to give the Colorado Rapids a 1-0 victory over Austin FC on Saturday night in Commerce City, Colo.
Darren Yapi fired a shot from outside the box that Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver punched away with a diving save. But as Navarro chased down the rebound just inside the penalty area, he was fouled by Przemyslaw Placheta, and a penalty kick was awarded.
Navarro tucked the ensuing penalty inside the lower left corner as Stuver dove to his right.
Rapids goalkeeper Nico Hansen saved a shot from Myrto Uzuni in the 98th minute to preserve his third clean sheet of the season.
Stuver recorded seven saves while Hansen registered three. Austin (4-9-5, 17 points) is still in search of its first MLS road win of the season (0-7-3).
Colorado (7-10-1, 22 points) started on the front foot, earning five corner kicks in the opening 15 minutes. The Rapids finished with an 11-0 advantage over the Verde in corners.
In the fifth minute, Paxten Aaronson’s in-swinging corner found Rapids teammate Loic Williams, whose header was blocked.
Moments later, Aaronson again delivered a dangerous ball into the box, and Wayne Frederick met it at the back post, heading it into the top of the netting.
Hansen went to his knees to smother Uzuni’s shot after it skipped through the wall on a free kick from just outside the penalty area in the 22nd minute.
Aaronson created another chance from a corner in the 44th minute, picking out Frederick at the back post. This time, however, Frederick’s header found the side netting.
Colorado’s Georgi Minoungou threatened in the 46th minute, sending a shot toward the far post from the left side of the box that was deflected Stuver.
Joseph Rosales’ cross in the 63rd minute was ticketed for Brandon Vazquez. The pass pulled Hansen off his line, but Vazquez whiffed on the header.
Colorado finished with 60.5% of the possession and an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal.
–Field Level Media
Red Sox stay hot with another win over Dodgers
Padres upend Giants on Jake Cronenworth's late heroics
