Sports
NBA roundup: Kawhi Leonard debuts as Clippers tackle Hawks
Jan 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) talks during a post game interview after defeating the Atlanta Hawks at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Norman Powell scored 20 points and Ivica Zubac added 18 points to go along with 18 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers celebrated the season debut of Kawhi Leonard with a 131-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday in Inglewood, Calif.
Amir Coffey scored 17 points while Leonard had 12 on 4-of-11 shooting in 19 minutes of court time after missing the first 34 games of the season due to a right knee injury. Terance Mann (finger) also returned to action after missing the past 11 games and scored 12 points in 16 minutes.
Los Angeles took control early, leading by as many as 27 points in the first half before improving to 12-2 at home since Nov. 4.
Trae Young scored 20 points and dished out 14 assists and De’Andre Hunter added 18 points as the Hawks lost for the second consecutive night in the Los Angeles area following a 119-102 setback against the Lakers on Friday.
Leonard made his first shot of the season, a 3-pointer from the left wing just over two minutes into the game.
Pistons 119, Timberwolves 105
Cade Cunningham poured in a season-high 40 points to go along with nine assists to offset Anthony Edwards’ career-high 53 points as host Detroit defeated Minnesota.
Edwards had been limited to 20 points or less in eight of his previous 14 games. His previous career high was 51 points, a mark he reached against the Washington Wizards on April 9, 2024. Cunningham’s previous season high was 35 points.
Malik Beasley supplied 23 points off the bench as Detroit won its third straight game. Tobias Harris had 16 points and 11 rebounds in the win, while Julius Randle had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Timberwolves.
Nuggets 122, Spurs 111 (OT)
Nikola Jokic scored 46 points, including the first seven in overtime, as visiting Denver rode its superstar to a win over San Antonio in the final game of a back-to-back between the teams.
The Spurs won 113-110 on Friday in Denver in the opener of the home-and-home set. Overall, the Nuggets have won four of their past five games. San Antonio led by 11 points after three quarters on Saturday, but the Nuggets charged back to briefly take the lead in the final minute of regulation before a Devin Vassell tip-in forced overtime.
Harrison Barnes led San Antonio with 22 points while Victor Wembanyama scored 20 and grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds.
76ers 123, Nets 94
Joel Embiid totaled 28 points and 12 rebounds in three quarters as Philadelphia overcame an extremely early 11-point deficit and rolled over Brooklyn in New York.
Embiid made 8 of 16 shots from the field, hit all 10 of his free throws and played 29 minutes en route to his fourth double-double in 13 games this season. Philadelphia outscored Brooklyn 123-83 after allowing the game’s first 11 points and won for the 12th time in 19 games since dropping five straight from Nov. 12-20.
Ziaire Williams led the Nets with 19 points as Brooklyn shot 41.5 percent overall and allowed 32 points off 22 turnovers. The Nets lost for the 12th time in 16 games.
Pacers 126, Suns 108
Tyrese Haliburton scored 27 points to lead six Indiana scorers in double figures and the Pacers bookended the second half with big runs to send Phoenix to a fourth consecutive loss with a victory in Indianapolis.
Indiana opened the second half with a 19-9 burst that lasted just over four minutes and gave it a lead that it held the rest of the way. The Pacers later put the contest to bed with a 13-4 run over the game’s final 4:08.
Phoenix stayed within striking distance behind Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but the Suns never got closer than six following the Pacers’ run to open the third quarter. Durant finished with 25 points for the game, while Booker collected 20.
Jazz 136, Heat 100
Florida native Brice Sensabaugh scored a career- and game-high 34 points off the bench as Utah snapped a five-game losing streak with a win against host Miami.
John Collins added 24 points and nine rebounds for Utah, which won for just the sixth time in 19 road contests this season. Walker Kessler added 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds as the Jazz outrebounded the Heat 57-32.
The Heat trailed by as many as 43 in the fourth quarter in their first game since suspending star forward Jimmy Butler for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team.
Bulls 139, Knicks 126
Zach LaVine and Coby White scored 33 points apiece and Nikola Vucevic recorded a double-double by racking up 22 points and 12 rebounds to lift Chicago to a win against visiting New York.
Chicago matched a season high in points behind a 20-for-37 effort from beyond the arc. White set a career high for made 3-pointers, going 9-for-11 from deep. Karl-Anthony Towns had 44 points, 16 rebounds and five assists for the Knicks.
The Bulls honored standout guard Derrick Rose during a halftime ceremony. A Chicago native, Rose spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Bulls, winning Rookie of the Year in 2009 and MVP in 2011. Rose played for five other teams and spent parts of four seasons with the Knicks.
Trail Blazers 105, Bucks 102
Anfernee Simons scored 28 points and dished out eight assists to lead visiting Portland to a win over Milwaukee after dropping its past two games.
Deni Avdija added 19 points and 14 rebounds while Deandre Ayton posted his own double-double with 10 points and 13 boards as the Blazers won on the road for just the fourth time this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 31 points and 11 rebounds. AJ Green added 21 points off the bench, and Damian Lillard scored 16.
Warriors 121, Grizzlies 113
Lindy Waters III scored eight of his 16 points late and Andrew Wiggins put up a game-high 24 points as Golden State outlasted Memphis in San Francisco.
Each team played without its superstar point guard. Memphis was minus Ja Morant for the fourth straight game due to a shoulder injury, while Golden State gave Stephen Curry the night off on the front end of a back-to-back.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had 23 points and nine rebounds and Desmond Bane added 22 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies, who were playing their second game in two nights after losing 138-133 against the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Memphis completed a 2-3 road trip.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates wreck Reds with early scoring outbursts
May 2, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin slides into third base for a triple against the Cincinnati Reds during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 15 runs in the first four innings and took advantage of record wildness from Cincinnati pitching to register another blowout win over the Reds, 17-7, Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Since losing 2-0 to Cincinnati in the first meeting on March 30, Pittsburgh has won the last four by a combined 42-14 score.
Rookie Konnor Griffin doubled, tripled and went 4-for-5 while driving in two, while Ryan O’Hearn doubled and drove in three as the top eight hitters in the Pirates lineup each had at least one hit while seven batters had at least two hits.
Pittsburgh right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2) was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst, scattering eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking two for just his second win in seven starts.
For a second straight day, the game was played in raw conditions, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees.
Pittsburgh reliever Chris Devenski was ejected for throwing inside near the ribcage of Sal Stewart to open the seventh inning. Stewart took exception and stared out at the mound. But the encounter did not escalate as umpires intervened.
Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (3-2) appeared miserable in the cold and struggled badly early. Lowder was unable to find his rhythm or command while allowing four runs before there were two outs in the first inning. The five runs allowed in the first inning were a career high for the right-hander.
Lowder labored through 30 pitches in the first as O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Griffin all doubled in the five-run outburst. Lowder then walked the bases loaded in the second and was pulled after a career-short 1 1/3 innings, charged with eight runs on five hits, four walks and one strikeout.
Reliever Connor Phillips walked all four batters he faced, forcing in four runs, throwing 21 pitches, only five for strikes as the Pirates scored five more runs in the second without benefit of a hit in the inning, with Cincinnati walking seven straight batters.
The last time seven straight walks were issued in a Major League game came on May 25, 1983, when three different Pirates pitchers walked seven in a row at Atlanta in a 6-0 Braves win.
The five runs in the second inning without benefit of a base hit marked the first time since April 27, 1994, that a team allowed at least five runs in an inning without giving up a hit when Seattle allowed five runs to the New York Yankees in the top of the third inning.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Golden Tempo surges late to edge Renegade for 152nd Kentucky Derby
Golden Tempo, ridden by Jose L Ortiz, wins the 2026 Kentucky Derby.May 2, 2026
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — History was made Saturday at Churchill Downs as Golden Tempo made Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to saddle a Kentucky Derby winner as the 23-1 longshot edged Renegade by a neck at the wire.
DeVaux, who has saddled 298 winners in 1,802 career starts, joined Jena Antonucci, who trained Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes, as the only female trainers to win Triple Crown races.
Sired by Curlin, Golden Tempo made his way to Louisville by winning the Lecomte Stakes and finishing third in both the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby — all races held at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans.
Renegade, the morning-line favorite at 4-1, also sought to make history by becoming the first horse to win out of the inside gate in 40 years. Midway through the race, he was 15 lengths back. However, under Irad Ortiz Jr., he made a mad dash down the stretch, only to be outdueled by the colt ridden by Jose Ortiz, Irad’s brother.
Renegade charged outside and took the lead late, only for Golden Tempo to go one lane farther outside and overtake Renegade just before the wire.
In going the 1-1/4 miles in 2:02.27, Golden Tempo paid $48.24 to win, $19.14 to place and $11.90 to show. Renegade, who went off as the second choice behind Further Ado, paid $7.14 and $5.46, while Ocelli paid $36.34.
The start to the chilliest Derby since 1989 was delayed several minutes when Great White dropped his jockey and rolled over while waiting to enter the gate. That led to him being a last-minute scratch and prompted track officials to unload and reload the starting gate.
Great White appeared fine as he trotted off the track.
Saturday’s Kentucky Derby was the first race in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. The next leg is the Preakness Stakes, which takes place on Saturday, May 16, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Laurel will host the race this year while Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course undergoes a $400 million renovation.
–Steve Bittenbender, Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Larson holds off Justin Allgaier for thrilling Texas win
May 2, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; JR Motorsports driver Kyle Larson (88) celebrates in victory lane with the trophy after he wins the 2026 Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images FORT WORTH, Texas — During the final caution of Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas Motor Speedway crew chief Andrew Overstreet radioed an encouraging message to pole winner Justin Allgaier.
“Nothing stops a hungry gator,” said Overstreet, referencing Allgaier’s Little Gator nickname. “Not even the so-called ‘Greatest of All-Time.'”
But Kyle Larson, the G.O.A.T Overstreet referenced, proved too much for Allgaier during a 17-lap green-flag run to the finish. Though Allgaier caught Larson in the closing circuits, he couldn’t find a way past his JR Motorsports teammate, who won his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts event in four starts this season.
“I really didn’t think I had a chance there with Justin behind me,” said Larson, who beat Allgaier to the finish line by 0.293 seconds. “He was really good, catching me there on that long run after the (earlier) green-flag stop (on Lap 145 of 200).
“Thanks to him for racing me clean… that was a great little run to the end there.”
The victory was Larson’s second straight at Texas and third overall and the 18th in the series of his career.
Though Allgaier matched his best finish at Texas and increased his series lead to 121 points over second-place Sheldon Creed, the disappointment was etched in the face of the runner-up.
“Without contact, I don’t know if there was any way to get around him, and I tried everything I could possibly try and just unfortunately came up short,” said Allgaier, a three-time winner this season.
Larson was first off pit road under caution for Rajah Caruth’s crash off Turn 2 on Lap 179. Allgaier was third behind Brandon Jones and lined up behind Larson in the bottom lane for the Lap184 restart.
Allgaier quickly cleared Jones and took off in pursuit of Larson, using the top lane to gain time on his teammate. Though Allgaier got to Larson’s bumper in the closing laps, he was stymied in his efforts to pass for the win.
Sam Mayer finished third, one spot ahead of rookie Brent Crews, who collected a $100,000 bonus as the highest-finishing eligible Dash 4 Cash driver. It was the first such payout for Crews in the final Dash 4 Cash event of the season.
The race was punctuated by seven cautions (for 36 laps), the first of which was a bifurcated five-car wreck on the opening lap.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Corey Day entered the race fourth in the series standings and exited the event after a hard crash into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 1.
Larson led a race-high 93 laps, followed by Allgaier (54), who won the first 45-lap stage wire-to-wire. Connor Zilisch won Stage 2 before fading to 21st in the final segment.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race — Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
Saturday, May 2, 2026
1. (3) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 200.
2. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.
3. (17) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.
4. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.
5. (10) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 200.
6. (11) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.
7. (7) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 200.
8. (2) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.
9. (21) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.
10. (8) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 200.
11. (14) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 200.
12. (18) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 200.
13. (15) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 200.
14. (9) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.
15. (16) William Sawalich, Toyota, 200.
16. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 200.
17. (28) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 200.
18. (26) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 200.
19. (37) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 200.
20. (27) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 200.
21. (4) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 199.
22. (24) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 199.
23. (20) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 199.
24. (38) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 199.
25. (29) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 199.
26. (25) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.
27. (33) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 198.
28. (36) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 198.
29. (35) David Starr, Chevrolet, 197.
30. (23) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 196.
31. (32) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 194.
32. (30) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 189.
33. (12) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 188.
34. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, Accident, 180.
35. (19) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.
36. (34) Brad Perez, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.
37. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, DVP, 1.
38. (31) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 1.
–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
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