Sports
Stars align as healthier Thunder, Celtics match up
Mar 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Oklahoma City Thunder will be seeking their 13th consecutive victory when they visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Oklahoma City, the defending NBA champion, had a franchise-record 16-game winning streak earlier this season and currently has the best record in the league (57-15).
“We don’t really focus on the winning streak, we focus on the possessions,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said following Monday night’s 123-103 road victory over Philadelphia.
“We don’t even focus on the game, we focus on the possessions and trying to build the right habits and win the little battles that exist inside a possession and let them stack up throughout a game,” the coach continued. “Sometimes you look up and you win the game, sometimes you look up and you’re up 20 and sometimes you look up and you have a winning streak.
“We try to stay very present and just continue to sharpen our blade, improve our stuff and compete. Wherever that lands us, it lands us.”
The Celtics-Thunder matchup will feature two of the NBA’s top scorers. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.5 points per contest, which ranks second in the league. He has scored at least 20 points in 64 straight road games after he broke Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 58 from 1961-63.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.5 points per game, which is fifth in NBA scoring.
The Celtics (47-24) had their four-game winning streak end with Sunday night’s 102-92 home loss to Minnesota. Boston’s Jayson Tatum had 16 points and 11 rebounds in the setback but shot 6 of 16 from the field.
Tatum is shooting 38.8% from the field, including 29.3% from 3-point territory, in eight games since he returned from surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon in May.
“I wouldn’t say normal slump, because it’s the first time I went through something like this,” Tatum said. “I mean, it’s just been a long time. It was a long time before I could shoot a basketball, before I could walk. So just trying to knock the rust off game by game. I find great spurts and moments from game to game and, you know, just trying to put more of them together.”
Tatum, a six-time All-Star and first-team All-NBA the past four seasons, is averaging 19.1 points and 8.9 rebounds this abbreviated season.
“Just taking it day by day,” Tatum said. “I have probably the worst injury you can have. Came back in 10 months and getting better. Better feel each game. I wanted to be perfect and first-team All-NBA Jayson, but it’s going to take time. I didn’t rush the rehab process, so I can’t rush this. It’s all gonna work out.”
Guard Jalen Williams returned to the Oklahoma City lineup for Monday’s game against Philadelphia and scored 18 points with six assists and four rebounds in 20 minutes in the win. A right hamstring strain had kept him out of game action since Feb. 11, a span of 16 games.
The hamstring strain plus offseason wrist surgery has limited Williams to 27 games this season.
“I think if I was on a different team I’d be more frustrated, but I’m around good energy,” Williams said. “So I think that’s been one of the things that keeps me going.”
Wednesday’s game will be the second meeting between the teams this season. Oklahoma City came away with a 104-102 home victory on March 12 when Chet Holmgren made two free throws with 0.9 seconds to play. In that game, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to break Chamberlain’s record with his 127th consecutive game overall with at least 20 points. The streak is now up to 132 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Superstar F Mohamed Salah leaving Liverpool at season's end
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah applauds fans after a match against West Ham United on Feb. 28, 2026. Liverpool superstar forward Mohamed Salah announced on Tuesday that he will leave the Premier League club at the end of the season after a nine-year run as one of its greatest players.
The club confirmed the news later, saying that it had agreed to forego the final year of the two-year extension Salah signed at the end of the 2025 season.
“Salah expressed his wish to make this announcement to the supporters at the earliest possible opportunity to provide transparency about his future due to his respect and gratitude for them,” Liverpool said in a statement.
The 33-year-old, nicknamed the “Egyptian King,” joined Liverpool in 2017. Salah has 255 goals (third in club history) in 435 appearances, and his 281 combined goal contributions (189 goals, 92 assists) in 310 Premier League appearances are the most in league history.
His total of 191 goals in Premier League career matches (including two with Chelsea in the 2013-14 season) is fourth all-time.
“I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people would become part of my life,” Salah said in a video posted on X. “Liverpool is not just a football club. It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit that I can’t explain in words to anyone not of this club.”
Salah helped lead the Reds to Premier League titles in 2019-20 (their first top-division crown in 30 years) and 2024-25 as well as the FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022-24) and UEFA Champions League trophy (2019).
“We celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies and we fought together through the hardest time in our lives,” Salah said in the video. “I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the teammates past and present.
“And to the fans, I don’t have enough words. The support you showed me through the best time of my career, and you stood by me in the toughest times. It’s something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.”
The “toughest times” he referenced might include in December, when second-year manager Arne Slot didn’t play him for three consecutive matches. Salah said at the time that he was being thrown “under the bus” for the team’s poor play, suggested he had no relationship with Slot and questioned his future with Liverpool.
After being left off the squad for a Champions League match with Inter Milan, Salah later became a regular starter again. He has 10 goals and nine assists in 34 appearances this season.
“Leaving is never easy,” Salah said in Tuesday’s video. “You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home, to me and to my family. Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone.”
Last May, Salah scored a league-best 29 goals and won the Premier League Golden Boot for the fourth time in his career, matching the record set by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.
Salah also was awarded the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award, after leading with 18 assists. His 47 combined goals and assists were the most ever in a 38-game season.
It was the second time Salah has completed the Golden Boot-Playmaker sweep in his career. Salah became the first player ever to win the Golden Boot, Golden Playmaker and Player of the Season awards in a single campaign.
Salah also claimed the Golden Boot in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2021-22.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spring training roundup: Ranger Suarez rocked as Twins rout Red Sox
Feb 23, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) bats during the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Ranger Suarez completed a rocky spring training with his new squad, allowing eight earned runs over 4 1/3 innings on Tuesday as the Minnesota Twins routed the Boston Red Sox 15-6 in Fort Myers, Fla.
Suarez, who signed a five-year, $130 million contract in January, gave up a pair of home runs among nine Minnesota hits. He walked one, fanned four and finished the Grapefruit League slate with an 11.00 ERA.
The Red Sox built an early 5-2 lead, but Brooks Lee cut the deficit to 5-4 with a long ball in the bottom of the second. Byron Buxton gave the Twins the lead for good with another two-run shot in the fifth as Minnesota scored nine runs over the fifth and sixth innings. Victor Caratini added a two-run blast, Kody Clemens hit a solo shot and James Outman hit a pair of two-run homers in the sixth and seventh.
Trevor Story went 1-for-3 with two RBIs for Boston and finished the Grapefruit League with a .404 batting average.
Braves 3, Rays 2
Mike Yastrzemski hit his sixth home run of the spring and Atlanta held off Tampa Bay in North Port, Fla.
Yastrzemski’s solo shot in the fourth inning gave the Braves a 2-1 lead. Drake Baldwin, Eli White and Jorge Mateo all went 2-for-3, with Baldwin and Mateo picking up RBI doubles. Starter Grant Holmes allowed two runs on four hits and three walks, fanning four in 5 1/3 innings. He finished spring training with a 1.02 ERA as the Braves earned a Grapefruit League-best 21 wins.
Carson Williams — is who expected to start the season at shortstop for the Rays due to Taylor Walls’ injury — and Cooper Flemming each collected RBI singles.
Rangers 4, Royals 1
Jack Leiter threw four shutout innings as Texas blanked Kansas City in Arlington, Texas.
Leiter, who will fill a spot in the back end of the Rangers’ rotation, allowed only two hits and struck out six. Joc Pederson contributed a solo homer in the fourth inning.
Seth Lugo went four innings for the Royals, permitting three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks. He fanned four batters and is slated to start Sunday in Atlanta. Nick Loftin doubled and scored for Kansas City in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Daniss Jenkins, Pistons put streak on line vs. soaring Hawks
Mar 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Jake LaRavia (12) defends against Detroit Pistons Daniss Jenkins (24) during the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images The absence of Cade Cunningham hasn’t affected the Detroit Pistons’ bottom line.
Detroit’s All-Star guard has missed three games after being diagnosed with a collapsed lung. The Pistons have continued to win without their team leader. They will carry a four-game winning streak into their home matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
The Eastern Conference’s top team halted the Los Angeles Lakers’ nine-game winning streak on Monday with a 113-110 home victory.
Cunningham’s replacement in the lineup, Daniss Jenkins, scored a career-high 30 points. He hit a key baseline jumper and two free throws in the last 25 seconds.
“For me, I always say I’m forever humble, thankful and grateful. But you know what you can do, how I can impact the game,” Jenkins said. “Everybody else is surprised. For myself, and I speak humbly and respectfully, but I just know the work that I put in. I just know when my number is called, I know what I’m about and how I’m going to help the team. So, that’s all I try to go out and do. It really doesn’t surprise me.”
Jenkins began the season on a two-way contract. He was promoted on a two-year standard contract last month.
“Again, no longer surprised,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “When he has the opportunity, he has delivered for us. Whether it’s throughout the game or in clutch moments, he finds a way to impact winning. I thought, again, he made huge plays down the stretch, made his free throws. So, he deserves a lot of credit.”
Detroit (52-19) is getting closer to securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Pistons have a five-game cushion over their closest pursuer with 11 games remaining.
The Pistons can sweep the four-game season series with the Hawks with a victory on Wednesday. All those wins came during November and December.
Atlanta (40-32) is now the hottest team in the league, winning 13 of its last 14 contests. The Hawks pummeled the injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 on Monday. The surge has positioned the Hawks to potentially avoid the play-in tournament.
The Hawks had eight players score in double figures, including four reserves, during their latest victory. They had 37 assists on 49 made field goals.
“I thought CJ (McCollum) set the tone early,” coach Quin Snyder said. “He was just in the lane and had his eyes out, finding people, and then Nickeil (Alexander-Walker) had a stretch at the beginning of the third quarter, where just those guys playing that way, it raises everybody’s level. It sets a tone.”
Alexander-Walker scored one of his baskets on a first-quarter dunk, a rarity for him.
“Paint touches are important to the team. Just transition play,” Alexander-Walker said. “From when I got the ball, I could see the defender was timing me. So I knew I had to go aggressively. If I tried to lay it up, he probably would have, I think, like, the more aggressive guy wins in that situation.”
The game on Wednesday begins a stretch of three games in four nights for Atlanta. The Hawks will visit Boston on Friday and host Sacramento on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
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Superstar F Mohamed Salah leaving Liverpool at season's end
