Sports
Missing Game 7 a tough pill to swallow for Jayson Tatum
May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and the rest of the Celtics bench react to a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images It was going well until it wasn’t.
The second-seeded Boston Celtics took a 3-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Six-time All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who came back from Achilles tendon surgery much faster than anyone expected, was averaging 24.8 points through the first four games of the series.
But then the Sixers routed the host Celtics in Game 5 and Tatum hobbled off the court in the second half of Game 6, another Philadelphia triumph.
It was not apparent whether Boston coach Joe Mazzulla did not re-insert Tatum into Game 6 due to an injury or the fact that his team trailed by 23 points in the fourth quarter.
But Tatum’s status for Sunday’s Game 7 continued to downgrade and two hours before tipoff, he was ruled out for Boston’s do-or-die contest.
Hence, the four-time All-NBA first-teamer sat on the bench in street clothes as the Sixers completed the comeback, ousting Boston 109-100.
Tatum addressed the media on Sunday, reflecting on his satisfaction on returning to the court and his frustration about the last few days.
“My recovery and comeback (from the Achilles injury) were going so well that how it ended, I didn’t think it was going to end that way,” said Tatum. “It was just unfortunate.
“I worked really, really, really, really hard to come back in the fashion that I did and play at the level I was playing at. So for it to end the way it did was a tough pill to swallow.”
Tatum explained that, since he was still in the return-to-play window, NBA protocols had to be followed pertaining to his left knee stiffness. The Celtics’ medical team and Tatum’s trainer, Nick Sang, agreed that he would not be able to compete on Saturday.
Tatum admitted on Sunday that he was not playing at full capacity since his return to the court on March 6 vs. Dallas. He rated himself at about 80-85% and relayed that his right leg is still shorter than his left.
The Boston star averaged 31.0 minutes per game in 11 March games and 36.2 minutes in five regular-season contests in April. His scoring (21.8) and shooting splits (41.1% FG, 32.9% 3FG) were a little below his career marks, but he rebounded at a career-best 10.0 per game heading into the playoffs.
But Tatum has no regrets about pushing himself to return in a 10-month window and help this year’s team.
“I’m happy and proud of the fact that I was able to do that,” Tatum said. “And, unfortunately, if somebody else has to deal with this, they can look at what I was able to do and have some hope and inspiration that it’s not what people used to think it was. And you can come back from this and be who you were and hopefully be better.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chase Elliott nips Denny Hamlin in Texas for second win of '26
May 3, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (9) drives during 2026 Wurth 400 cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Chase Elliott had the best car at high-speed Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday and won a four-lap sprint over Denny Hamlin to capture the Wurth 400 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Elliott, who took the lead with 29 laps left after a cycle of pit stops, had a lead of more than a second over Hamlin before Corey Heim wrecked with 11 circuits left.
All of the leaders except Tyler Reddick (two tires) stayed out, and Elliott cleared Hamlin off Turn 2 on the final restart and won by 0.407 seconds for his 23rd career victory.
Elliott, who led a race-high 87 laps, joined Reddick as the only multi-win drivers this season.
Following Hamlin were Alex Bowman, Reddick and Chris Buescher.
Polesitter Carson Hocevar and teammate Daniel Suarez led a Spire Motorsports front row, and Hocevar topped the first 19 laps before Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota gained the top spot until he pitted on Lap 37.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell owned the point late in the 80-lap Stage 1, but his No. 20 soon ran into trouble when Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 spun off Turn 4 on Lap 68, hit Bell and knocked him out of the race.
Erik Jones notched his first career stage win in his No. 43 Toyota. Hocevar, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe followed behind.
Caution 3 for William Byron’s spin led to a chain reaction on pit road that resulted in defending Texas winner Joey Logano smashing into the back of Cole Custer’s No. 41, which was stopped and waiting for Gibbs to leave his box. Gibbs then brought out the fourth caution a few laps later when Ryan Preece sent him into the wall.
Driving the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, Heim led 69 laps in all but lost one as he headed to pit road. However, he regained the lead lap when Kyle Larson, fighting an ill-handling Chevy, looped his No. 5 all by himself and smacked the Turn 2 wall to end his day with just a few circuits left in Stage 2.
In a one-lap dash to end the segment, Elliott passed Brad Keselowski to claim the top points. Reddick, Keselowski, Hamlin and Preece finished as the top five.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres' snap skid over White Sox
May 3, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) slides into home plate to score a run during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images Xander Bogaerts’ infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday was enough for the winning run as the San Diego Padres snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 decision over the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Ramon Laureano started the winning rally by coaxing a leadoff walk from Tyler Davis (0-1). Bryan Hudson relieved Davis and fanned Miguel Andujar as Laureano stole second. Jackson Merrill’s infield hit moved Laureano to third.
Merrill swiped second while Hudson whiffed Manny Machado. Bogaerts’ check-swing on a 2-2 fastball produced a soft bouncer that third baseman Colson Montgomery gloved but couldn’t make a throw as Laureano scored.
Jason Adam (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller mowed Chicago down in the ninth for his 11th save in as many chances. The result snapped the White Sox’s five-game winning streak.
Chicago tied the game at three in the seventh when pinch-hitter Derek Hill clouted an 0-2 fastball from Adrian Morejon 409 feet over the center field wall with Chase Meidroth aboard after a single.
Hill’s tying homer no-decisioned both starters after five-inning outings. Chicago’s Anthony Kay permitted seven hits and three runs, two earned, with a walk and five strikeouts. San Diego right-hander Griffin Canning, making his first start of the year, allowed only three hits and a run while walking three and fanning seven.
Drew Romo gave the White Sox a 1-0 edge in the top of the third, lining a homer into the right field seats that traveled an estimated 363 feet. It was his third homer of the year.
The Padres took their first lead of the series with three runs in the fourth. Andujar drilled a leadoff homer to left-center, his second of the year, and Machado followed one out later with his fifth homer that traveled an estimated 397 feet to left-center.
Bogaerts and Ty France followed up with singles, then moved up 90 feet on Nick Castellanos’ groundout. Freddy Fermin drew a walk and Romo was charged with a passed ball on ball four, enabling Bogaerts to score.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mark Vientos' two homers power Mets over Angels
May 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) gestures after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Mark Vientos hit a pair of two-run homers Sunday afternoon for the visiting New York Mets, who earned a rare series win by beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 in the rubber game of a three-game interleague set.
Carson Benge had an RBI double immediately before Vientos’ second homer in the eighth for the Mets, who won for just the fifth time in 23 games. The series win is the second in that span for New York, which also took two of three from the Minnesota Twins from Apr. 21-23.
Jorge Soler delivered a run-scoring single in the first for the similarly skidding Angels, who have dropped 12 of 14 since an 11-10 start.
Mets starter Clay Holmes (4-2) earned the win by allowing the one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings. The outing lowered his National League-leading ERA to 1.69.
Holmes allowed just four baserunners after Soler’s one-out RBI hit.
Luke Weaver retired all four batters he faced before Brooks Raley struck out two in a one-hit ninth.
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two singles in the first three innings before walking Benge with one out in the fourth. Vientos followed two pitches later by hitting a 427-foot homer to left-center.
Benge and Vientos teamed up again in the eighth against Nick Sandlin, when Benge’s double scored Brett Baty before Vientos homered to left. It was the sixth regular season two-homer game for Vientos and his first since last Aug. 23, when he went deep twice against the Atlanta Braves.
Bo Bichette had two hits for the Mets.
Nolan Schanuel had two hits and a unique fielding play at first base in the third for the Angels. Schanuel snared a grounder by Juan Soto but couldn’t get the ball out of his glove, so he tossed the glove to Kochanowicz covering first.
Kochanowicz gave up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Chase Elliott nips Denny Hamlin in Texas for second win of '26
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres' snap skid over White Sox
