Sports
Luka Doncic, Mavericks take aim at injury-riddled Pacers
Nov 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to receiving a technical foul during the second half against the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The NBA trade deadline is still three months away, but the injury-plagued Indiana Pacers may be forced to test the waters sooner rather than later.
Indiana’s injury list continues to grow ahead of the Pacers’ matchup against the host Dallas Mavericks on Monday night.
Dallas was able to rest its starters for much of the fourth quarter on Sunday, when the Mavericks led by as many as 33 points in a 108-85 win over the visiting Orlando Magic.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic scored 25 points in the first half and finished with 32 to go with nine rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes.
“Today was real fun,” Doncic said. “We were guarding everybody, defending, rebounding and playing with a lot of pace. So that’s fun for me.”
Indiana will look to regroup after losing 125-118 to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (left ankle sprain) and center Isaiah Jackson exited the game due to injury.
Nesmith has been ruled out for Monday’s contest, while Jackson will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a torn right Achilles tendon.
The Pacers also could face the Mavericks minus guard Andrew Nembhard, who is dealing with knee tendinitis.
Jackson, who is averaging 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game, is the second Pacers center to suffer a torn Achilles tendon this season. James Wiseman tore his Achilles in the season opener against the Detroit Pistons.
The Pacers’ lack of depth in the frontcourt was an issue in the loss to New Orleans as Pelicans star Zion Williamson scored 34 points on 14-of-20 shooting from the field.
“The game had a lot of good stretches for us, but we weren’t able to sustain those good stretches,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “Rebounding was a problem again. We struggled with Williamson and (Brandon) Ingram, and it cost us.”
One bright spot was the play of Ben Sheppard, who made six 3-pointers and led the Pacers with 20 points. The second-year guard likely has earned a larger role in Carlisle’s rotation.
“He’s just been very consistent,” Carlisle said. “If you look at the plus-minus every night, he’s usually a plus because of how hard he plays. He plays within our system and takes the right shots. Defensively he really busts his butt out there. And he’s one of our better rebounders, and that really helps us, too.”
Carlisle coached Dallas to its only NBA championship in 2011, when the Mavericks beat the Miami Heat in six games.
Dallas guard Klay Thompson is settling in with his new team following 11 seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Thompson was held to nine points on 4-of-10 shooting in Sunday’s win over Orlando, but Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was pleased with the performance.
“I thought he played a great game,” Kidd said. “I know we look at him for scoring and shooting threes, but I thought his play-making, his energy was high. He was moving on both ends at a very high level. I thought his defense was really good.”
Dallas also received a strong outing from forward Daniel Gafford, who scored a season-high 18 points. Center Dereck Lively II had 11 points and 11 rebounds as Dallas won for the fourth time in its first six games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals' Cole Ragans leave game with triceps, elbow soreness
Apr 26, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans (55) pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Kansas City starting pitcher Cole Ragans left the Royals’ Wednesday game against the Cleveland Guardians after the third inning due to left triceps and elbow soreness, the team announced.
Ragans gave up no runs and a hit while striking out four and walking two. He threw 58 pitches. He is 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA in eight starts this season, with 45 strikeouts and 23 walks in 35 1/3 innings.
An All-Star in 2024, Ragans, 28, was drafted in the first round in 2016 by the Texas Rangers. He was traded to Kansas City in 2023 in a deal that sent closer Aroldis Champman to Texas.
Ragans is 22-24 overall in his career with a 3.76 ERA in 91 appearances (74 starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Healthy Sonny Gray pitches Red Sox to sweep of Tigers
May 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images Sonny Gray pitched five scoreless innings in his return to action and the visiting Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 4-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Gray (3-1) came off the injured list and gave up four hits while recording two strikeouts. Gray strained his right hamstring in a start last month against the Tigers.
Tyler Samaniego struck out three in two innings. Zack Kelly and Greg Weissert each pitched an inning to complete the shutout.
Masataka Yoshida had two hits and scored a run. Caleb Durbin supplied an RBI double.
Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-3) gave up four runs, two earned, in five innings while recording a season-high 10 strikeouts. Riley Greene led the offense with two hits.
Flaherty struck out the first five batters he faced. The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the inning as Greene led off with a double and Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson drew two-out walks. Jace Jung, just recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday, then hit a sinking liner that right fielder Wilyer Abreu snared with a sliding grab.
Boston took the lead in the third. Marcelo Mayer reached on an infield hit and Flaherty hit Carlos Narvaez with a pitch. Durbin then smacked a double to left, scoring Mayer. One out later, Willson Contreras hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Narvaez.
Detroit had a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the inning as Matt Vierling and Greene hit singles. Dillon Dingler flied out to center, ending the threat.
The Red Sox pushed their lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Masataka Yoshida had a one-out single and Ceddanne Rafaela drew a walk. With two out, third baseman Colt Keith made an error on a Narvaez grounder, allowing both runners to score.
In the seventh, Boston loaded the bases on three walks by Drew Anderson.
Brant Hurter retired the next two batters on a strikeout and groundout to leave the runners stranded.
Kelly issued two one-out walks in the eighth, then struck out Greene and Dingler.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sabres' power play tallies twice to topple Canadiens in Game 1
May 6, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montréal Canadiens in game one of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram each converted on the power play to lift the host Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round series.
Buffalo went 2-for-3 with the man advantage after going 1-for-46 on the power play over its previous 13 games.
By scoring his fourth goal, Byram matched the franchise record for most in a postseason by a defenseman set by Mike Ramsey (1983) and equaled by Jason Woolley (1999) and Alexei Zhitnik (1999).
McLeod and Josh Doan each collected a goal and an assist. Jordan Greenway also tallied and Alex Lyon made 26 saves for the Sabres, who host Game 2 on Friday.
Selke Trophy finalist Nick Suzuki scored a power-play goal, Kirby Dach also tallied and Jakub Dobes turned aside 12 shots for the Canadiens.
Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson hit the post in his bid to open the scoring early in the first period. He then lost his footing and the puck at his own blue line, leading to a 3-on-1 opportunity and Zach Benson feeding Doan on the doorstep for an easy conversion at 4:31 of the period.
McLeod converted from a sharp angle along the goal line to give Buffalo a 2-0 lead with 6:34 remaining in the first period.
Suzuki answered at left post to halve the deficit with 45 seconds to play in the first period, but Greenway regained the two-goal advantage at 3:32 of the second. He unleashed a shot from above the left circle that caromed off Dobes’ glove and into the net. Tyson Kozak drove to the net to provide a bit of a screen on the play.
The Sabres made it 4-1 at 9:01 of the second. McLeod knocked down a Canadiens’ clearing attempt, allowing Byram to collect the puck and use a screen from Doan to wrist a shot past Dobes.
Dach used a second effort to chip the puck from a sharp angle past Lyon to trim Montreal’s deficit to 4-2 with 3:29 remaining in the second period.
The Canadiens outshot the Sabres 11-1 in the third period, but could not get any closer.
–Field Level Media
Royals' Cole Ragans leave game with triceps, elbow soreness
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