Sports
Novak Djokovic shakes off rust in 3-set Indian Wells opener
Novak Djokovic reaches for a shot during his win against Kamil Majchrzak at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., March 7, 2026. No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic dropped the hammer after losing the first set, rallying for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in his opening match of the BNP Paribas Open in second-round action on a windy Saturday at Indian Wells, Calif.
The Serbian, who has won five Indian Wells titles, had a rusty opening set in his first match since dropping the Australian Open final vs. Carlos Alcaraz on Feb. 1, with more unforced errors (14) than winners (12).
He bounced back, saving all three break points he faced in the second set and facing none in the third set, while Majchrzak had 29 errors to 12 winners over the final two sets.
“Five weeks with no official match, I knew that the first match in such a long time will be a little bit tricky, you know, challenging, obviously, with conditions that are quite challenging as well,” Djokovic said after winning. “But, you know, I managed to reset after I lost that first set right away in the second and really never looked back.”
Alcaraz also opened his Indian Wells run Saturday, taking care of Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in 67 minutes with a 6-2, 6-3 win. The top-seeded Spaniard saved the only break point he faced while converting three of the four on Dimitrov’s serve, finishing with six aces against two double faults.
A pair of seeded Russian competitors were not as lucky on Saturday, with 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov falling 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca, and Canada’s Gabriel Diallo knocking off No. 17 seed Andrey Rublev 6-7 (4), 7-6 (1), 6-3.
Khachanov and Rublev each arrived late in Indian Wells after initially being stranded in Dubai due to the airspace being shut down in the aftermath of last week’s American missile strikes in Iran.
Fonseca saved a pair of match points in the second-set tiebreaker, rallying from a 6-4 hole before jumping ahead 4-1 in the final set.
“(Today was) a great match against a great player. I’m very happy with the way that I fought,” Fonseca said in his on-court interview. “I know how experienced he is and after a tough second set, I got an early break in the third. This victory means a lot.”
No. 20 seed Italian Luciano Darderi was upset 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 by Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata, and Argentina’s Sebastian Baez knocked off Czech No. 22 seed Jiri Lehecka in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
Taylor Fritz, the highest-seeded American at No. 7, outlasted Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley for a 6-3, 6-7 (8), 6-1 win in his opening match.
Eleventh-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev beat Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 6-2 after he was also stranded in Dubai and arrived late in California.
Three seeded competitors survived three-set thrillers, with No. 10 Alexander Bublik outlasting Czech lucky loser Vit Kopriva 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2; British 14th seed Jack Draper rallying for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut; and 19th-seeded Argentine Francisco Cerundolo holding off French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi for a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5) win.
No. 13 seed Caspar Ruud of Norway over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 7-6 (4); No. 24 Valentin Vacherot of Monaco (7-5, 7-5 over Portugal’s Nuno Borges); and No. 26 Arthur Rinderknech of France (walkover vs. Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo) each advanced with minimal drama.
The unseeded American competitors were a mixed bag in competition Saturday. Alex Michelson knocked off 32nd-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6); and Aleksander Kovacevic disposed of No. 31 Corentin Moutet of France 6-1, 6-4.
Sebastian Korda took the first set against sixth-seeded Aussie Alex de Minaur before falling 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; and qualifier Mackenzie McDonald fell in straight sets to No. 27 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain 6-2, 6-3.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NBA roundup: After Victor Wembanyama's exit, Blazers level series
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Stephon Castle (5) after falling to the ground during the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Scoot Henderson poured in a season-best 31 points as the visiting Portland Trail Blazers came back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to outlast the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 106-103 on Tuesday and even their first-round Western Conference playoff series at one win each.
The teams will play Game 3 on Friday in Portland, and it’s unclear if the Spurs will have Victor Wembanyama available. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year hit his face on the floor in the second quarter and was diagnosed with a concussion. He is scheduled for further testing on Wednesday.
The Spurs, led by Stephon Castle’s team-high 18 points, carried a one-point lead into the fourth quarter but reeled off the first 13 points of the final period to build their advantage to 93-79. The Trail Blazers roared back to take the lead via a 7-0 run capped by a Jrue Holiday layup with 2:02 left and held on from there.
Holiday produced 16 points and nine assists, and Deni Avdija added 14 points for the Trail Blazers. The Spurs got 17 points from De’Aaron Fox plus 16 points and 12 rebounds from Devin Vassell.
Lakers 101, Rockets 94
LeBron James compiled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead Los Angeles to a victory over visiting Houston, giving the Lakers a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
With leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from the bench, Los Angeles’ Marcus Smart added 25 points, shooting 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and Game 1 hero Luke Kennard contributed 23 points, going 3 of 6 from deep.
Kevin Durant, who missed the opening game with a right knee contusion, scored 23 points for the Rockets, but he had nine turnovers and was held to three points after halftime. Alperen Sengun paired 20 points with 11 rebounds.
76ers 111, Celtics 97
VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined to make 11 3-pointers and score 59 total points as Philadelphia bounced back to even its Eastern Conference playoff series with host Boston.
Seventh-seeded Philadelphia shook off a dismal Game 1 performance, which included making just four 3-pointers in a 123-91 loss, with a complete reversal on the offensive end. The Sixers, who got 19 points from Paul George, shot a torrid 19 of 39 (48.7%) from beyond the arc in Game 2.
Jaylen Brown went for a game-high 36 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds for the Celtics. No other Boston player reached double figures in scoring, a stark contrast from Game 1, when the Celtics’ entire starting five notched at least 10 points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Randy Vasquez, Padres hand Rockies rare 1-0 home defeat
Apr 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vasquez (98) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Randy Vasquez pitched seven shutout innings and allowed just three hits for the San Diego Padres, who squeaked out a rare 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in Denver.
It marked just the fourth time in Rockies history they lost a 1-0 game at Coors Field. The other three instances happened in 2006, with the Milwaukee Brewers last beating Colorado by that score on Aug. 1, 2006.
Vasquez (2-0) struck out five without issuing a walk in San Diego’s third straight win. The right-hander outdueled Chase Dollander (2-2), who threw six strong innings but had a lapse of wildness in the sixth that sent the Rockies their second straight defeat.
Dollander, who came in the second after Rockies opener Jimmy Herget struck out the side in the first, allowed a one-out double to Jake Cronenworth. After Ramon Laureano struck out, Fernando Tatis hit a ground-ball single that hit off Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros to put runners at the corners.
Dollander then hit Jackson Merrill with a pitch to load the bases and walked Manny Machado to force home Cronenworth.
The Rockies right-hander allowed just three hits and a walk while plunking two Padres. He struck out nine, tying a career high he set last Thursday in Houston.
Tatis finished 2-for-4 and was the only hitter for either team with multiple hits. The squads combined for just nine hits.
Hunter Goodman singled off Vasquez to lead off the Rockies’ fourth, but he was the last baserunner the Padres starter allowed. Vasquez retired the last 12 batters he faced. Jason Adam pitched a perfect eighth in relief with a strikeout.
Closer Mason Miller, who pitched in three of the Padres’ previous four games, stayed in the bullpen Tuesday as Adrian Morejon pitched the ninth. Morejon struck out Edouard Julien and Mickey Moniak to start the inning before Goodman flied out to center, giving the left-hander his first save of the season.
Colorado lost despite striking out 15 Padres. The last time San Diego won despite striking out that many times took place on July 23, 2022, when the Padres won 2-1 on the road against the New York Mets.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NHL roundup: Lightning rally, beat Canadiens in OT to even series
Apr 21, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser (90) and defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) react after beating the Montreal Canadiens in overtime during game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images J.J. Moser scored 12:48 into overtime, giving the host Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday and evening their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at one win each.
Tampa Bay fully controlled the game in the extra period and was rewarded when Moser found the net. He gained the puck off a faceoff win in the offensive zone, worked his way to a shooting position at the top of the right circle and wired a top-corner shot for his first career playoff tally.
Montreal, which won Game 1 in overtime, was outshot 9-0 in overtime of Game 2. The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday.
Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel collected a goal and an assist. Nikita Kucherov tallied once, Anthony Cirelli collected two assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for Tampa Bay, which snapped a collection of playoff swoons.
Avalanche 2, Kings 1 (OT)
Nicolas Roy scored at 7:44 of overtime to lift Colorado to a win against Los Angeles in Denver, giving the Avalanche a 2-0 lead in a Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Gabriel Landeskog scored the tying goal late in regulation and Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves for the Avalanche. During the regular season, Wedgewood led the NHL in goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.921).
Anton Forsberg made 34 saves for the Kings in his second career postseason start, both in the current series. He has allowed two goals or fewer in eight of his past nine starts.
Bruins 4, Sabres 2
Visiting Boston scored three second-period goals and held off a late Buffalo rally to even the teams’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series at one victory apiece.
Viktor Arvidsson scored in the last two periods, giving the Bruins 1-0 and 4-0 leads. Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha also lit the lamp for Boston, which heads home for Game 3 of the best-of-seven series on Thursday. Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves.
Bowen Byram and Peyton Krebs scored as Buffalo climbed within 4-2 in the closing minutes. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed four goals on 19 shots before Alex Lyon entered in relief following Arvidsson’s second marker, which came just 16 seconds into the third period.
Mammoth 3, Golden Knights 2
Logan Cooley scored the go-ahead goal on a rebound with six minutes remaining to give Utah its first playoff win in franchise history over Vegas in Game 2 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Las Vegas.
Cooley buried a rebound of a Dylan Guenther shot, evening the best-of-seven series at one victory apiece. Guenther had a goal and an assist, Kailer Yamamoto had two assists and MacKenzie Weegar also scored. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves, including a close-in shot by Mark Stone from the left side of the net with five seconds left to seal the win.
Stone and Ivan Barbashev each scored a goal and Jack Eichel had two assists for Vegas, which lost for the first time in regulation in 10 games (8-1-1) under coach John Tortorella. Carter Hart finished with 27 saves. Game 3 is Friday in Salt Lake City.
–Field Level Media
NBA roundup: After Victor Wembanyama's exit, Blazers level series
Randy Vasquez, Padres hand Rockies rare 1-0 home defeat
