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  • Dbacks News and Recap

    • Diamondbacks’ Paul Sewald: Clean inning for save

      Sewald struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Mets.

      This was Sewald’s first save since April 17 versus the Blue Jays. Over his last six appearances, he’s given up three runs across 5.1 innings with a 6:4 K:BB. The lack of saves has come down to the Diamondbacks producing too few opportunities — this was just their second win in eight games in May. Sewald is at a 3.29 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 17:4 K:BB through 13.2 innings this season. He’s converted all eight of his save chances this year despite some hiccups in non-save situations.

    • Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly: Rebounds for second win

      Kelly (2-3) allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six over seven innings to earn the win over the Mets on Saturday.

      Kelly had been knocked around in his last three outings, giving up a total of 19 runs across 13.2 innings. He bounced back in a big way Saturday, delivering his best start of the year in a game where he had little margin for error. Performances like this one haven’t been the norm for the veteran right-hander, who is at a 7.62 ERA, 1.92 WHIP and 20:18 K:BB across 26 innings over five starts this season. Kelly’s next start is lined up to be a daunting road assignment in Colorado.

    • Diamondbacks’ Justin Martinez: Advances to bullpen session

      Martinez (elbow) tossed a bullpen session Friday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

      This was Martinez’s first time throwing off a mound since he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last July. Per Piecoro, the reliever was at 96-to-99 mph with his fastball during the bullpen session. Martinez still has several more hurdles to clear and plenty of ramp-up, and he’s not expected to be ready to return to Arizona’s bullpen until sometime after the All-Star break.

  • Kaprizov gets the Wild going with a goal and two assists in a 5-1 win to hand the Avs their 1st loss

    AP

    ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Kirill Kaprizov scored first and assisted on the next two goals as the Minnesota Wild forced a goalie change and handed the Colorado Avalanche their first loss in this postseason with a 5-1 victory in Game 3 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Saturday night.

    Quinn Hughes followed Kaprizov’s four-on-four score late in the first period with a four-on-three goal less than two minutes later. Ryan Hartman batted in a deflected power-play shot with 4:23 elapsed in the second period to prompt an early departure for Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood in favor of Mackenzie Blackwood.

    Nathan MacKinnon got the Avalanche on the board on a power play later in the second period, but Brock Faber answered just 20 seconds later by deflecting a puck past Blackwood. MacKinnon’s first line was the only trio that generated much offense, and the Avalanche had more lapses in defensive coverage than they exhibited in the first two games.

    “We played against a desperate hockey team that looked to me like they had more determination,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “They were more tenacious, more physical.”

    Matt Boldy added an empty-net goal and Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves in his return to the net for the Wild after a 9-6 loss in the unhinged series opener prompted a start for Filip Gustavsson in the 5-2 loss in Game 2.

    Four days later, the Wild were a much sharper team.

    “I think we take a little breath and take a couple good days to practice and a couple days off and it obviously helps us, everyone, feel better,” Kaprizov said.

    Faber had two assists and has nine points in nine playoff games. Mats Zuccarello, who took the shot that Faber tipped past Blackwood, also had two assists and has 10 points in seven playoff games. The money man Kaprizov, who signed the richest contract in NHL history before the season and was nicknamed “Dolla Bill Kirill” by his teammates a few years ago, moved into the league postseason lead with 14 points.

    “It’s that ultra competitor, the way he digs in. It felt like he won every battle. He was flying tonight,” Faber said. “That’s what he expects of himself. He wants to win as bad as anyone.”

    The Avalanche will take a 2-1 lead into Game 4 in Minnesota on Monday, before the teams return to Colorado for Game 5 on Wednesday.

    The Avalanche faced their first multigoal deficit of this postseason after they had 12 different players score over the first two games of this series, an NHL record.

    Wedgewood, who led the NHL in save percentage and goals against average during the regular season and had matched the franchise postseason record with six consecutive victories, made nine saves. Blackwood had 12.

    “I’m not saying that we didn’t come out and work hard. I’m just saying that there was a level that they had that we didn’t get to,” Bednar said. “If you’re going to win a hockey game against a really good team in the playoffs, it’s not here and there and from certain guys. It has to be everybody.”

    —

    AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

    Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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    1 2 3 T

    2-1

    		 0 1 0 1

    1-2

    		 2 2 1 5
    • Grand Casino ArenaSt. Paul, MN
    • Game 3COL leads 2-1
    STARS OF THE GAME
    SKATERS G A +/- SOG
    N. Blankenburg D 0 0 0 0
    B. Burns D 0 0 0 1
    R. Colton C 0 0 0 1
    J. Drury C 0 0 -1 1
    N. Kadri C 0 1 -1 3
    P. Kelly LW 0 0 -1 4
    B. Kulak D 0 0 -1 1
    G. Landeskog LW 0 1 0 7
    A. Lehkonen LW 0 0 -1 0
    N. MacKinnon C 1 0 -1 4
    C. Makar D 0 0 -2 4
    S. Malinski D 0 0 -1 2
    M. Necas C 0 0 -1 3
    B. Nelson C 0 0 -2 2
    V. Nichushkin RW 0 0 -1 1
    L. O’Connor RW 0 0 -1 0
    N. Roy C 0 0 0 1
    D. Toews D 0 0 -1 1
    SKATERS G A +/- SOG
    Z. Bogosian D 0 0 0 1
    M. Boldy LW 1 0 2 5
    B. Faber D 1 2 3 4
    M. Foligno LW 0 0 0 0
    N. Foligno LW 0 0 0 0
    R. Hartman RW 1 0 1 3
    Q. Hughes D 1 1 2 1
    D. Hunt D 0 0 0 0
    M. Johansson LW 0 0 0 0
    K. Kaprizov LW 1 2 3 4
    M. McCarron RW 0 1 1 0
    J. Middleton D 0 0 0 0
    J. Spurgeon D 0 0 1 1
    N. Sturm C 0 0 0 1
    V. Tarasenko RW 0 1 1 2
    Y. Trenin C 0 0 1 0
    D. Yurov RW 0 0 0 1
    M. Zuccarello RW 0 2 0 3
    GOALIES SA GA SV SV% TOI
    M. Blackwood 13 1 12 0.923 32:27
    S. Wedgewood 12 3 9 0.750 24:23
    GOALIES SA GA SV SV% TOI
    J. Wallstedt 36 1 35 0.972 59:57

  • Blake’s overtime goal lifts the Hurricanes 3-2 over the Flyers for their second playoff series sweep

    AP

    PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jackson Blake scored 5:28 into overtime for his second of the game, Logan Stankoven also scored in regulation and the Carolina Hurricanes finished a four-game sweep with a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season.

    Frederik Andersen made 15 saves for Carolina, which has not lost in eight playoff games.

    Alex Bump and Tyson Foerster scored for the Flyers.

    Taylor Hall and Jaccob Slavin assisted the winning goal. Blake’s shot from the slot bounced off Dan Vladar’s glove and over the goal line.

    “Once I saw it go in, just excitement,” Blake said.

    Vladar stopped 37 shots for Philadelphia.

    Carolina will play the winner of Buffalo and Montreal in the Eastern Conference finals after the NHL’s first 8-0 start in the playoffs since 1985.

    “Everyone is chipping in; everyone is doing their job,” Hall said.

    Andersen has started every game in the postseason, winning them all.

    “He’s just playing lights out,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

    The Hurricanes, who reached the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in four years, are looking for their first Stanley Cup since 2006. Carolina is the 24th team in league history to win eight or more consecutive games during a playoff run. Eighteen of them have won the Stanley Cup.

    “For me, it’s just fun to sit back there and watch it, to be honest,” Brind’Amour said.

    Philadelphia scored just five goals over the four games. After an unlikely berth in the playoffs, fans saluted the home team when it was over with chants of, “Let’s go, Flyers!”

    “I can’t ask for more,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said.

    Bump scored 5:52 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2.

    Stankoven’s seventh tally of the playoffs 4:13 into the third period gave Carolina a 2-1 lead after he finished a beautiful cross-ice pass from Hall with a one-timer from just outside of the crease. Philadelphia evened the score 1:39 later when Bump shot past Andersen’s glove side from the slot after a setup from Travis Konecny from behind the net.

    Blake tied it at 1-1 with 7:25 remaining in the second when his wrist shot from along the boards caromed off Philadelphia defenseman Jamie Drysdale and past Vladar. It appeared as if Carolina went in front just 28 seconds later when Mark Jankowski beat Vladar, but the goal was overturned following a challenge by Tocchet when officials ruled that Carolina’s William Carrier interfered with Vladar.

    The Flyers had a pair of good chances late in the period to take the lead but could not convert. The best opportunity came in the final seconds of the period when Christian Dvorak’s wrist shot from close range went off the post on Andersen’s glove side.

    Carolina finished regulation with a 36-15 advantage in shots.

    Russian winger Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch for the Flyers. Michkov, 23, was the No. 7 overall pick in 2023 by Philadelphia and was heralded as an important piece for the rebuilding franchise’s future. But the right wing has struggled thus far in his first playoff experience, garnering one point while accumulating a minus-3 in eight games. It is the second time he has been a healthy scratch this postseason, following Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.

    —

    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

    Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

    1 2 3 OT T

    4-0

    		 0 1 1 1 3

    0-4

    		 1 0 1 0 2
    • Xfinity Mobile ArenaPhiladelphia, PA
    • Game 4CAR wins 4-0
    STARS OF THE GAME
    SKATERS G A +/- SOG
    S. Aho LW 0 0 0 2
    J. Blake RW 2 1 2 3
    W. Carrier LW 0 0 0 1
    J. Chatfield D 0 0 -1 1
    N. Ehlers LW 0 0 -1 1
    S. Gostisbehere D 0 0 0 6
    T. Hall LW 0 3 2 3
    M. Jankowski C 0 0 0 1
    S. Jarvis C 0 0 0 4
    J. Martinook LW 0 0 -1 3
    K. Miller D 0 1 2 2
    A. Nikishin D 0 0 0 0
    E. Robinson LW 0 0 0 1
    J. Slavin D 0 1 1 3
    J. Staal C 0 0 -1 2
    L. Stankoven C 1 0 2 2
    A. Svechnikov RW 0 0 0 3
    S. Walker D 0 0 0 2
    SKATERS G A +/- SOG
    D. Barkey C 0 0 0 0
    O. Bonk D 0 0 -1 0
    A. Bump LW 1 0 -2 1
    S. Couturier C 0 0 0 0
    J. Drysdale D 0 0 0 1
    C. Dvorak C 0 1 -2 0
    T. Foerster RW 1 0 1 2
    L. Glendening C 0 0 0 0
    C. Grundstrom RW 0 0 0 1
    G. Hathaway RW 0 0 0 2
    T. Konecny RW 0 1 -1 1
    J. Luchanko C 0 0 0 0
    P. Martone RW 0 1 0 5
    R. Ristolainen D 0 0 -1 1
    T. Sanheim D 0 0 0 2
    N. Seeler D 0 0 -2 1
    C. York D 0 0 2 0
    T. Zegras C 0 1 1 0
    GOALIES SA GA SV SV% TOI
    F. Andersen 17 2 15 0.882 65:19
    GOALIES SA GA SV SV% TOI
    D. Vladar 40 3 37 0.925 65:31

  • Oklahoma State 13 ASU 6 Final boxscore

    Oklahoma State
    WIN: Rhodes, Stormy(3-2)
    13
    Final
    #16 Arizona State
    LOSS: Alba, Jaden(2-1)
    6
    Game Line Score
    TEAM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E L

    OSU

    		 0 0 2 6 0 0 0 3 2 13 14 0 8

    ASU

    		 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 6 14 0 12
    Final

    Pitching For OSU: #19 Rhodes, Stormy WIN (3-2) (TH: R; 3.86 ERA)

    TODAY IP H R ER BB K 2B 3B HR BF PC
    5 10 3 3 2 2 0 0 2 26 77

    OSU Batting Order

    # Player Bats Class Today Avg
    1 #14 Conover,Alex L JR 2-4 .384
    2 #1 Thompson,Brock L SO 2-5 .310
    3 #13 Ritchie,Kollin L JR 0-4 .333
    4 #2 Meola,Aidan R SR 2-4 .318
    5 #4 Smithwick,Campbell L JR 2-4 .268
    6 #7 Ortiz,Avery R JR 1-4 .182
    7 #5 Shull,Garrett S SO 0-5 .197
    8 #12 Brueggemann,Colin L SR 3-4 .249
    9 #9 Wallace,Danny R FR 2-5 .221
    Oklahoma State Offensive Leaders
    Player AB Highlights
    Brueggemann,Colin 3-4 HR (2) , 3 RBI
    Thompson,Brock 2-5 2B, HR, 3 RBI
    Meola,Aidan 2-4 HR, 3 RBI
    Conover,Alex 2-4 HR (2) , 2 RBI
    Smithwick,Campbell 2-4 1 RBI
    Wallace,Danny 2-5 2B, HR, 1 RBI

    Pitching For ASU: #12 Alba, Jaden LOSS (2-1) (TH: R; 7.65 ERA)

    TODAY IP H R ER BB K 2B 3B HR BF PC
    3.2 7 7 7 4 6 2 0 3 21 84

    ASU Batting Order

    # Player Bats Class Today Avg
    1 #3 Hairston,Landon L SO 1-4 .419
    2 #6 Contrades,Nuu R RJR 2-5 .370
    3 #55 Toigo,Dean L SR 1-4 .319
    4 #18 Leach,Finn S FR 0-0 .200
    5 #28 Michel,Garrett L RJR 2-5 .319
    6 #25 Smaldino,Dominic R JR 2-5 .335
    7 #8 Myers,Sam L JR 3-5 .383
    8 #9 Briggs,Brody L RSO 1-3 .259
    9 #2 Zavorek,Beckett R SO 1-3 .311
    Arizona State Offensive Leaders
    Player AB Highlights
    Myers,Sam 3-5 1 RBI
    Smaldino,Dominic 2-5 HR (2) , 3 RBI
    Contrades,Nuu 2-5 HR, 1 RBI
    Michel,Garrett 2-5
    Toigo,Dean 1-4

  • Mercury rout the Aces 99-66 to spoil Las Vegas’ ring ceremony

    • AP
    • May 09, 2026

    LAS VEGAS (AP) Alyssa Thomas scored 20 points and the Phoenix Mercury walloped the Las Vegas Aces 99-66, making sure the only celebration for the reigning WNBA champions on Saturday would be their pregame ring ceremony.

    The win was a measure of revenge for the Mercury, who were swept by the Aces in last season’s WNBA Finals.

    This was the Mercury’s largest margin of victory since defeating Indiana 95-60 on Aug. 7, and it’s the Aces’ worst defeat since a 111-58 loss to Minnesota on Aug. 3. Las Vegas then finished the regular season with 16 consecutive wins.

    Mercury rookie Jovana Nogic, who most recently played in Russia and is on the Serbian national team, scored all of her 19 points in the first half. She was one of six Mercury players to score in double figures. Natasha Mack had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

    Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 19 points, Jackie Young scored 12 and NaLyssa Smith 11.

    Before the game Aces players and coaches were given their championship rings, which included a removable top so that part of it could be worn out rather than put simply on display. The left side of the ring includes the players’ name and position in 14-karat white gold.

    “We’re back!” Aces majority owner Mark Davis said to the crowd during the ceremony as minority owner Tom Brady stood nearby.

    Because this game took place at T-Mobile Arena, the Aces – who have won three of the past four titles – won’t raise their championship banner until playing Los Angeles on May 23 at their usual home, Michelob Ultra Arena.

    The Mercury made sure the Aces’ celebration was short-lived as Phoenix, which never trailed, took command with a 14-2 run to open the second quarter and go up 41-23.

    Phoenix: At Golden State on Sunday.

    Las Vegas: At Los Angeles on Sunday.

    —

    AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

    Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

    1 2 3 4 T

    Mercury 1-0

    		 27 29 27 16 99

    Aces 0-1

    		 21 14 10 21 66
    T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, NV
    TOP SCORERS
    25
    		 A. Thomas F 20PTS 6REB 9AST
    22
    		 A. Wilson C 19PTS 4REB 4AST
    Mercury
    STARTERS PTS REB AST PF
    A. Thomas 20 6 9 1
    J. Nogic 19 0 4 1
    D. Bonner 13 7 2 2
    K. Copper 13 0 2 2
    N. Mack 10 15 1 2
    BENCH PTS REB AST PF
    K. Williams 11 1 1 0
    N. Brochant 8 3 0 0
    K. Linskens 2 2 1 0
    S. Carter 2 1 1 1
    A. Maley 1 2 0 1
    P. Williams 0 0 2 0
    Total 99 37 23 10
    Aces
    STARTERS PTS REB AST PF
    A. Wilson 19 4 4 0
    J. Young 12 6 3 1
    N. Smith 11 6 1 3
    C. Gray 4 1 6 1
    S. Talbot 2 2 0 0
    BENCH PTS REB AST PF
    C. Carter 10 2 2 5
    J. Loyd 6 1 2 2
    C. Parker-Tyus 2 4 0 2
    B. Turner 0 3 0 0
    K. Bell 0 6 1 1
    Total 66 35 19 15

  • MLB Scores

    FINAL
    R H E
    Angels15-25
    		 1 10 1
    Blue Jays18-21
    		 14 20 0
    Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
    • W: M. Fluharty  (2-0)
    • L: J. Kochanowicz  (2-2)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 B. Valenzuela TOR C4-5, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI
    player headshot
    		 E. Clement TOR 3B5-5, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
    FINAL
    R H E
    Athletics21-18
    		 6 11 0
    Orioles17-23
    		 2 9 0
    Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
    • W: A. Civale  (4-1)
    • L: S. Baz  (1-4)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 A. Civale ATH P5.0 IP, 6 H, 6 SO, 3 BB
    player headshot
    		 B. Rooker ATH DH2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
    FINAL
    R H E
    Astros16-24
    		 1 4 2
    Reds21-19
    		 3 5 0
    Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
    • W: C. Burns  (4-1)
    • L: S. Arrighetti  (4-1)
    • S: P. Johnson  (1)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 C. Burns CIN P6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 SO, 3 BB
    player headshot
    		 P. Johnson CIN P1.0 IP
    FINAL
    R H E
    Nationals19-21
    		 7 11 2
    Marlins18-22
    		 8 12 0
    loanDepot park, Miami, FL
    Highlights: Nationals at Marlins (5/9)
    0:30
    • W: A. Nardi  (3-2)
    • L: M. Parker  (2-1)
    • S: J. King  (1)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 J. Wood WAS RF2-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
    player headshot
    		 K. Stowers MIA LF3-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
    FINAL
    R H E
    Rockies16-24
    		 3 6 1
    Phillies18-22
    		 9 14 0
    Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
    Highlights: Rockies at Phillies (5/9)
    0:45
    • W: T. Mayza  (1-1)
    • L: K. Freeland  (1-4)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 A. Bohm PHI 3B3-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
    player headshot
    		 T. Banks PHI P2.0 IP, 3 SO
    FINAL
    R H E
    Twins17-23
    		 2 2 0
    Guardians21-20
    		 1 2 1
    Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
    • W: E. Orze  (1-1)
    • L: P. Pallette  (1-2)
    • S: L. Garcia  (1)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 T. Bibee CLE P6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 9 SO, 2 BB
    player headshot
    		 J. Ryan MIN P6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 5 SO, 3 BB
    FINAL
    R H E
    Cubs27-13
    		 0 4 0
    Rangers18-21
    		 6 9 2
    Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
    Highlights: Cubs at Rangers (5/9)
    0:31
    • W: J. Beeks  (2-1)
    • L: E. Cabrera  (3-1)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 J. Beeks TEX P1.1 IP, 1 SO
    player headshot
    		 J. Jung TEX 3B3-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
    FINAL
    R H E
    Tigers18-22
    		 1 4 1
    Royals19-21
    		 5 6 1
    Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
    Highlights: Tigers at Royals (5/9)
    0:35
    • W: M. Wacha  (4-2)
    • L: B. Smith  (0-2)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 M. Wacha KC P7.0 IP, 2 H, 6 SO, 2 BB
    player headshot
    		 T. Madden DET P6.0 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 SO, 2 BB
    FINAL
    R H E
    Yankees26-14
    		 3 7 1
    Brewers21-16
    		 4 6 0
    American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
    Highlights: Yankees at Brewers (5/9)
    0:43
    • W: A. Ashby  (7-0)
    • L: F. Cruz  (3-1)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 C. Schlittler NYY P6.0 IP, 2 H, 6 SO
    player headshot
    		 A. Ashby MIL P2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 SO, 1 BB
    FINAL
    R H E
    Mariners19-21
    		 1 4 0
    White Sox18-21
    		 6 9 2
    Rate Field, Chicago, IL
    • W: A. Kay  (2-1)
    • L: L. Castillo  (0-4)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 A. Kay CHW P5.0 IP, 3 H, 5 SO, 2 BB
    player headshot
    		 M. Vargas CHW 3B2-3, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI
    FINAL
    R H E
    Mets15-24
    		 1 3 0
    Diamondbacks18-20
    		 2 6 0
    Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
    Highlights: Mets at Diamondbacks (5/9)
    0:49
    • W: M. Kelly  (2-3)
    • L: C. Holmes  (4-3)
    • S: P. Sewald  (8)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 M. Kelly ARI P7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 3 BB
    player headshot
    		 P. Sewald ARI P1.0 IP, 2 SO
    FINAL
    R H E
    Cardinals23-16
    		 2 7 1
    Padres23-16
    		 4 5 0
    Petco Park, San Diego, CA
    • W: R. Vasquez  (4-1)
    • L: D. May  (3-4)
    • S: M. Miller  (12)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 R. Vasquez SD P5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 6 SO
    player headshot
    		 D. May STL P6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 7 SO, 2 BB
    FINAL
    R H E
    Pirates22-18
    		 13 20 0
    Giants15-24
    		 3 7 1
    Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
    • W: B. Ashcraft  (2-2)
    • L: L. Roupp  (5-3)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 B. Ashcraft PIT P7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 6 SO
    player headshot
    		 B. Lowe PIT 2B2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI
    FINAL
    R H E
    Braves27-13
    		 7 12 0
    Dodgers24-15
    		 2 6 1
    Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
    • W: S. Strider  (1-0)
    • L: B. Snell  (0-1)
    PLAYERS OF THE GAME
    player headshot
    		 S. Strider ATL P6.0 IP, 1 H, 8 SO, 2 BB
    player headshot
    		 A. Pages LAD CF2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
    POSTPONED
    Rays25-13
    Red Sox17-22
    Fenway Park, Boston, MA

  • Cameron Young fires 63 in pursuit of college teammate Alex Fitzpatrick

    Alex Fitzpatrick took the lead on Saturday but will have to hold off his old Wake Forest teammate and the hottest player on Tour on Sunday

    By 

    Moving Day at the 2026 Truist Championship lived up to the name on Saturday, as the third round featured some fireworks and stunning rounds of golf — both good and bad — at Quail Hollow.

    Cameron Young began the day five shots off the lead, but an 8-under 63 helped him climb all the way up to solo third at 12 under overall — two shots back of his old college teammate at Wake Forest, Alex Fitzpatrick. Young started the day solidly with one birdie in his first six holes, but an eagle on the par-5 7th kickstarted an incredible run where he went 8 under in a 10-hole stretch in the middle of his round.

    Young added six more birdies from there, including a stolen one on the incredibly long, difficult 16th with a bomb from the back of the green, and was within range of the course record of 61. Instead, he finally dropped a shot on the 18th after driving it in the trees right to only shoot a 63 and remain just off the lead.

    Even with that late blemish, Young is now in position to become the first player to win back-to-back events on the PGA Tour since…two weeks ago when Matt Fitzpatrick did so at the RBC Heritage and the Zurich Classic.

    To further tie those two together, the man Young will try to chase down on Sunday is Matt’s brother Alex, who he teamed up with for that second win in New Orleans. That victory earned Alex his Tour card and got him into the field last week at Doral (where he finished T9) and this week in Charlotte.

    The younger Fitzpatrick shot a 64 himself on Saturday to surge into the solo lead, as his ball-striking continues to lead the field and give him tons of looks at birdies. His putter woke up in the third round and allowed him to stack birdies, as he made eight to just one bogey on his card, giving him his first-ever solo 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour.

    Fitzpatrick’s lone bogey came on the difficult 16th, but he bounced back immediately by firing another dart at the short par-3 17th to set up his final birdie of the day to reclaim the solo lead.

    A win on Sunday for Fitzpatrick would be a monumental step forward in his career. His win alongside brother Matt earned him his card, but a solo win in a Signature event would lock him into a three-year exemption, earn him a Masters invite for 2027 and push his earnings to north of $6 million in just three weeks of play on the PGA Tour.

    He’s still a long way from that victory and will have to navigate the nerves of Sunday in contention by himself for the first time on the PGA Tour. He played excellent golf in New Orleans alongside his brother and showed no fear in his play down the stretch on Saturday in Charlotte, but it will still be a different feel in that final pairing trying to hold off Young and a hungry group of challengers behind him.

    Other contenders

    2. Kristoffer Reitan (-13)
    3. Cameron Young (-12)
    T4. Nicolai Højgaard, Sungjae Im (-10)
    T6. J.J. Spaun, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood (-9)

    Given what we saw in terms of scoring on Saturday, it’s hard to write off anyone in this group completely. Spaun’s 65 was the low round of the day for much of the afternoon until Young, Reitan and Fitzpatrick all bested him late in the day, and he’ll carry more positive momentum into Sunday than Thomas and Fleetwood, who both stalled out in the final two pairings of the third round.

    Reitan, like Fitzpatrick, is looking for a career-changing win on Sunday. The Norwegian got into Doral last week as an alternate and his T14 finish was good enough to get him into the field this week. He’s taking full advantage of that opportunity, and his 64 on Saturday knocked Young out of the final pairing with Fitzpatrick in the final round. If nothing else, he seems poised for his best finish on Tour and a huge payday that should give him loads of confidence moving forward.

    Højgaard looked like he might make a similar move to Reitan, but gave one back late on the 18th to slide four shots off the lead. Even so, the long-hitting Dane is very much a threat on this golf course and will look to make some noise from the penultimate group alongside Young on Sunday.

    Im was the 36-hole leader, but his round derailed in bizarre fashion on the par-5 15th. After reaching the greenside bunker in two, he skulled his chip, which banked off the grandstand over the green, rolled all the way back across and into that same bunker.

    That led to a bogey and he followed that up with a sloppy three-putt on the 17th that dropped him back to 10 under, four shots off Fitzpatrick’s pace.

    Rory McIlroy’s miserable day

    Notably absent from that list of contenders is Rory McIlroy, who began the day four shots off the lead and made a birdie on the first thanks to the longest drive of the day and the closest approach of anyone on No. 1. That seemed to signal the four-time Truist champ would be making a Saturday charge, but the wheels came off in the middle of his round as he made six bogeys in 10 holes from No. 4 to No. 13, including four straight to start his back nine.

    The end result was a shocking 4-over 75 which, when considering he lost nearly 5.3 strokes to the field, was one of the worst rounds of McIlroy’s career. Now he’s 13 shots off the lead and will be spending his Sunday just trying to find the right feel going into the PGA Championship next week, rather than contending for a fifth title at Quail Hollow.

    Updated 2026 Truist Championship odds, picks

    Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

    • Alex Fitzpatrick (2-1)
    • Cameron Young (2-1)
    • Kristoffer Reitan (33/10)
    • Nicolai Højgaard (16-1)
    • Sungjae Im (22-1)
    • Tommy Fleetwood (22-1)

    I liked Fitzpatrick a lot more at 16-1 after the second round. I would not be surprised if he held on to win given the confidence he’s playing with, but at 2-1 I don’t love the value any more. The oddsmakers aren’t giving much up on Young either, putting him right alongside Fitzpatrick, and that feels right. He is in full flow with his entire game and has everything you want out of a player at Quail Hollow (and really any course right now). Højgaard’s performance today impressed me playing alongside McIlroy in free-fall even though we saw lower scores from others, and with his length, I think of the longer shots he’s the most live of that group.

    Updates
    (47)

    Alex Fitzpatrick bounces back with a birdie on No. 17

    Fitzpatrick has reclaimed the solo lead once again after a terrific bounce back birdie on the short 17th. The Englishman threw a pitching wedge inside 10 feet and then paid it off with the left to right birdie putt to move back to 14 under, one ahead of Kristoffer Reitan.

    Rory McIlroy shoots a shocking 75 to fall out of contention

    With low scores all over the golf course on Saturday, the most shocking result of the third round isn’t Cam Young’s 63 or any of the other terrific rounds, but Rory McIlroy shooting a 4-over 75 to eject from the conversation.

    McIlroy opened with a terrific birdie on the 1st and it looked like his charge to the top would begin, but instead he stalled out before falling apart on the back nine with four straight bogeys to begin his second side. In total, McIlroy made six bogeys to just two birdies on his day, which is a stunning turn of events for someone who has long dominated at Quail Hollow.

    Instead of spending Sunday trying to chase down a fifth win at the Truist, he’ll instead just be in search of a good feel going into the PGA Championship next week.

    Kristoffer Reitan tied for the lead after a birdie on 17, Fitzpatrick bogey on 16

    A surprising figure has now joined Alex Fitzpatrick at the top of the leaderboard. The young Norwegian has charged through his back nine with four birdies in his last five holes to get to 13 under, which is now tied for the lead after a Fitzpatrick bogey on the 16th to begin the Green Mile.

    Reitan nearly birdied the long 16th before cashing in on the 17th with a beautiful pitching wedge to inside 10 feet. He then striped one down the left side of the fairway on the tough 18th and looks extremely comfortable right now as he takes aim at his best-ever finish on the PGA Tour.

    Sungjae Im skulls a bunker shot off the grandstand, back into the same bunker

    Sungjae Im made an eventful bogey on the par-5 15th after finding the bunker just short of the green in two. He skulled it out of the bunker, sailing the ball into the grandstand long where it bounced hard and rolled all the way back across the green into the same bunker he was already in.

    He got out successfully with his fourth, but couldn’t save par and walked off with an extremely disappointing 6 to fall three shots off the lead.

    Alex Fitzpatrick extends lead to two before entering the Green Mile

    After a horrible horseshoe lip-out on the 14th kept a circle off his card, Fitzpatrick was able to pick up his seventh birdie on the par-5 15th after finding the fairway off the tee and smashing a fairway wood onto the green in two. A solid two-putt gave him another stress-free birdie to move him to 14 under overall, two shots clear of Young, Im and Reitan in second.

    Now he faces the Green Mile, starting with the brutally long par-4 16th, but with the way he’s striking the ball this week you wouldn’t put a solid finish past Fitzpatrick this evening.

    @GOLFonCBS via Twitter
    May. 09, 2026, 6:23 pm EDT

    Sungjae Im makes a birdie after taking a dip in the pond on No. 14

    It wasn’t the most conventional pathway to a birdie, but after rolling up his pant leg to get a stance with his ball barely staying above the penalty area on the drivable par 4, Im was able to hit a beautiful chip and pay it off with the birdie putt to match to get to 12 under and join Cam Young and Kristoffer Reitan in second place.

    It’s been a solid back nine for Im, who will now get a chance to pick up one more at the par-5 15th before facing off with the Green Mile to close out his round.

    @PGATOUR via Twitter
    May. 09, 2026, 6:13 pm EDT

    Cameron Young makes his first bogey of the day on No. 18 to shoot 63

    It’s not often that an 8-under 63 ends on a disappointing note, but that’s exactly what happened with Cameron Young, who finally gave one back on the difficult closing hole at Quail Hollow to post 12 under in the clubhouse. As of now, that’s one back of Alex Fitzpatrick, who has a par 5 still to come before he also battles the Green Mile.

    Young missed wide right on the 18th trying to avoid the creek down the left and could only pitch out from the pine straw to 125 yards out. He was not able to get that up-and-down for his par and walked off the 18th with a bogey, capping off an otherwise sensational round of golf.

    Young eased into his round, but a birdie on the fourth got him going before he really put it in gear starting with an eagle on No. 7. From there he rattled off six birdies in his next nine holes to threaten the course record of 61. He couldn’t quite match that magical number, but still moved himself from T12 and five shots back of the lead to solo second currently, with a real shot at back-to-back wins in Signature events.

    @GOLFonCBS via Twitter
    May. 09, 2026, 5:59 pm EDT

    Young and Fitzpatrick trade incredible birdies to push co-lead to -13

    On the 12th hole, Alex Fitzpatrick hit an unbelievable shot from the trees on the right to set up a birdie look inside 10 feet that he once again rolled in to move to 13 under, briefly reclaiming the solo lead over Cam Young. However, Young wasn’t to be outdone on the incredibly tough 16th, making a birdie from long range after finding the back of the green from 219 yards out on his approach.

    That birdie moved Young to 9 under on his round, now just one birdie on his final two holes shy of matching Rory McIlroy’s course record of 61.

    @GOLFonCBS via Twitter
    May. 09, 2026, 5:45 pm EDT

    @GOLFonCBS via Twitter
    May. 09, 2026, 5:39 pm EDT

    Cameron Young ties the lead at -12

    Young is now 8 under on his round with six birdies and an eagle as he arrives at the Green Mile. His latest birdie came after getting a fantastic break off the tee, clipping a tree on the left and kicking back to the right into the rough where he could still go for the green rather than possibly finding a water. He took advantage by going long in two and then getting up-and-down from there for birdie, matching Alex Fitzpatrick at 12 under overall.

    @GOLFonCBS via Twitter
    May. 09, 2026, 5:30 pm EDT

    Sungjae Im eagles the 10th to move into T2

    The 36-hole leader could only tread water on his front nine, but after finding the surface in two on the par-5 10th, he poured in a 45-footer for eagle to move just one off Alex Fitzpatrick’s lead.

    Im is looking to top his best finish of the season — a T4 at the Valspar — and while it looked like he might just get passed by the other low scores around him on the course on Saturday, he’sput his name back in the mix with three terrific shots on the long par 5 to get back into the top 2.

  • Truist Championship Scores

     Watch Live
    Tournaments
    POS CTRY NAME TO PAR R1 R2 R3 R4 TOTAL
    1
    ENG
    Alex Fitzpatrick
    		 -14 67* 68 64 1:45 PM 199
    2
    NOR
    Kristoffer Reitan
    		 -13 66* 70 64 1:45 PM 200
    3
    USA
    Cameron Young
    		 -12 68 70* 63 1:35 PM 201
    T4
    DNK
    Nicolai Hojgaard
    		 -10 66 70* 67 1:35 PM 203
    T4
    KOR
    Sungjae Im
    		 -10 64* 69 70 1:25 PM 203
    T6
    USA
    J.J. Spaun
    		 -9 69* 70 65 1:25 PM 204
    T6
    USA
    Justin Thomas
    		 -9 67 68* 69 1:15 PM 204
    T6
    ENG
    Tommy Fleetwood
    		 -9 67* 67 70 1:15 PM 204
    T9
    USA
    Kurt Kitayama
    		 -8 72 67* 66 1:05 PM 205
    T9
    USA
    Matt McCarty
    		 -8 63* 74 68 1:05 PM 205
    T11
    USA
    Patrick Cantlay
    		 -7 72* 68 66 12:55 PM 206
    T11
    USA
    Rickie Fowler
    		 -7 74* 63 69 12:55 PM 206
    T13
    CAN
    Nick Taylor
    		 -6 66 73* 68 12:40 PM 207
    T13
    USA
    Jacob Bridgeman
    		 -6 69* 70 68 12:40 PM 207
    T13
    ENG
    Harry Hall
    		 -6 66 72* 69 12:30 PM 207
    T13
    USA
    David Lipsky
    		 -6 67 69* 71 12:30 PM 207
    T17
    USA
    Chris Gotterup
    		 -5 72 71* 65 12:20 PM 208
    T17
    USA
    Lucas Glover
    		 -5 68* 72 68 12:20 PM 208
    T17
    SWE
    Ludvig Åberg
    		 -5 69* 69 70 12:10 PM 208
    T20
    USA
    Bud Cauley
    		 -4 72* 72 65 12:10 PM 209
    T20
    USA
    J.T. Poston
    		 -4 73 69* 67 12:00 PM 209
    T20
    USA
    Gary Woodland
    		 -4 71* 70 68 12:00 PM 209
    T20
    CAN
    Sudarshan Yellamaraju
    		 -4 71* 69 69 11:50 AM 209
    T20
    CAN
    Corey Conners
    		 -4 67 72* 70 11:50 AM 209
    T25
    USA
    Jordan Spieth
    		 -3 71 71* 68 11:35 AM 210
    T25
    COL
    Nico Echavarria
    		 -3 73 67* 70 11:35 AM 210
    T25
    USA
    Tony Finau
    		 -3 67* 72 71 11:25 AM 210
    T25
    USA
    Harris English
    		 -3 68 69* 73 11:25 AM 210
    T29
    AUS
    Adam Scott
    		 -2 76* 69 66 11:15 AM 211
    T29
    USA
    Andrew Novak
    		 -2 73 71* 67 11:15 AM 211
    T29
    JPN
    Ryo Hisatsune
    		 -2 73* 70 68 11:05 AM 211
    T29
    USA
    Andrew Putnam
    		 -2 71* 72 68 11:05 AM 211
    T29
    SWE
    Alex Noren
    		 -2 71 72* 68 10:55 AM 211
    T29
    USA
    Ricky Castillo
    		 -2 68 74* 69 10:55 AM 211
    T29
    NOR
    Viktor Hovland
    		 -2 69* 73 69 10:45 AM 211
    T29
    ENG
    Matt Wallace
    		 -2 71 71* 69 10:45 AM 211
    T37
    USA
    Alex Smalley
    		 -1 75 69* 68 10:30 AM 212
    T37
    USA
    Brian Harman
    		 -1 74* 69 69 10:30 AM 212
    T37
    USA
    Chandler Blanchet
    		 -1 73* 69 70 10:20 AM 212
    T37
    CAN
    Taylor Pendrith
    		 -1 71 71* 70 10:20 AM 212
    T37
    AUT
    Sepp Straka
    		 -1 66 73* 73 10:10 AM 212
    T37
    USA
    Keegan Bradley
    		 -1 69 69* 74 10:10 AM 212
    T37
    USA
    Akshay Bhatia
    		 -1 68* 70 74 10:00 AM 212
    T37
    NIR
    Rory McIlroy
    		 -1 70* 67 75 10:00 AM 212
    T45
    USA
    Daniel Berger
    		 E 71* 74 68 9:50 AM 213
    T45
    ENG
    Matt Fitzpatrick
    		 E 74* 70 69 9:50 AM 213
    T45
    VEN
    Jhonattan Vegas
    		 E 68* 76 69 9:40 AM 213
    T45
    SCO
    Robert MacIntyre
    		 E 74* 70 69 9:40 AM 213
    T45
    USA
    Austin Smotherman
    		 E 73* 69 71 9:25 AM 213
    T45
    AUS
    Min Woo Lee
    		 E 72 69* 72 9:25 AM 213
    T45
    ENG
    Justin Rose
    		 E 71* 70 72 9:15 AM 213
    T45
    USA
    Michael Kim
    		 E 69 72* 72 9:15 AM 213
    T45
    USA
    Patrick Rodgers
    		 E 69* 71 73 9:05 AM 213
    T54
    USA
    Pierceson Coody
    		 +1 73* 70 71 9:05 AM 214
    T54
    KOR
    Si Woo Kim
    		 +1 70 73* 71 8:55 AM 214
    T54
    USA
    Xander Schauffele
    		 +1 69 73* 72 8:55 AM 214
    T57
    USA
    Webb Simpson
    		 +2 75* 70 70 8:45 AM 215
    T57
    USA
    Brian Campbell
    		 +2 72 72* 71 8:45 AM 215
    T57
    USA
    Maverick McNealy
    		 +2 75 69* 71 8:35 AM 215
    T57
    USA
    Max Homa
    		 +2 73 70* 72 8:35 AM 215
    T57
    USA
    Sahith Theegala
    		 +2 72 71* 72 8:20 AM 215
    T62
    ZAF
    Aldrich Potgieter
    		 +3 74 73* 69 8:20 AM 216
    T62
    USA
    Denny McCarthy
    		 +3 72 75* 69 8:10 AM 216
    T62
    AUS
    Jason Day
    		 +3 75 69* 72 8:10 AM 216
    65
    USA
    Ben Griffin
    		 +4 69* 73 75 8:00 AM 217
    T66
    NZL
    Ryan Fox
    		 +5 73 76* 69 8:00 AM 218
    T66
    USA
    Sam Burns
    		 +5 74* 69 75 7:50 AM 218
    T68
    USA
    Sam Stevens
    		 +6 74* 75 70 7:50 AM 219
    T68
    CAN
    Mackenzie Hughes
    		 +6 71 75* 73 7:40 AM 219
    T68
    JPN
    Hideki Matsuyama
    		 +6 72 75* 72 7:40 AM 219
    T68
    USA
    Tom Hoge
    		 +6 70* 73 76 7:30 AM 219
    T68
    USA
    Ryan Gerard
    		 +6 71 72* 76 7:30 AM 219
    WD
    Jake Knapp
    		 – – – – – –
    Notes
    • All times are US/Eastern.

    Legend

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    • Amateur
    • Golfer Started Round On Back 9
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  • Thunder charge past Lakers 131-108 in Game 3 for another blowout in the champs’ 7-0 playoff run

    • AP
    • May 09, 2026

    LOS ANGELES (AP) Ajay Mitchell had career playoff highs of 24 points and 10 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder extended their unbeaten playoff run to the brink of another Western Conference finals with a 131-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the second round on Saturday night.

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 23 points and nine assists for the Thunder, who coolly improved to 7-0 – both in these playoffs overall, and in their seven games this season against LeBron James and the Lakers. Oklahoma City is the NBA’s sixth defending champion to start 7-0 in the following postseason after three wins over short-handed Los Angeles by a combined 59 points.

    Game 3 was remarkably similar to Game 2 in many respects: The Lakers again had to fight desperately just to keep up with the champs into the third quarter, only for the Thunder to run away with their usual merciless efficiency when LA finally faltered. Chet Holmgren had 18 points and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, which outscored the Lakers 33-20 in the third quarter and wasn’t threatened at all down the stretch.

    Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles.

    James had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds, while Austin Reaves had 17 points and nine assists. But both stars struggled from the field to a combined 12 for 32, and 21 points from Rui Hachimura weren’t enough to keep LA in contention with the champs.

    Luke Kennard added 18 points for the Lakers, who have lost five of their last six games since midway through the first round against Houston.

    NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic missed his 14th consecutive game for the Lakers since straining his hamstring April 2 in Oklahoma City. He is not thought to be close to returning from an injury that often requires two months of recovery.

    Gilgeous-Alexander had his highest-scoring game of the series despite missing nine of his first 11 shots amid another concerted defensive effort by the Lakers on the NBA MVP.

    Mitchell continued his playoff emergence for Oklahoma City, with the Belgian guard scoring at least 14 points in his sixth consecutive game while going 10 for 17.

    Except for Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder all began Game 3 in another shooting groove. Los Angeles still surged to a small halftime lead behind 16 points from Hachimura.

    Oklahoma City erased that lead with a methodical surge out of halftime, going up by 13 in the third quarter.

    Third-leading scorer Jalen Williams missed his fifth straight game for the Thunder with a strained hamstring.

    —

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

    Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

    Expert Picks
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    Prop Bet Guy
    Prop Bet GuyDoug
    +680 (82%)
    Last 11 NBA Player Props
    Over 15.5-118
    Marcus Smart • PTS + AST • Player Prop
    Picked May 9 @ 8:00 pm, 1 unit on DraftKings
    LOSS
    DraftKings. In a very similar way we saw last series with Dillon Brooks, the Suns are very OK with Marcus Smart in a high usage role – in fact, their coverages are almost designed for it. The Thunder’s defense is predicated on stopping Austin Reaves and LeBron James pick-and-roll action, forcing them to kick to secondary playmakers, in this case Smart. The veteran guard is not shy with the ball, and has put up 28 shots and accrued 16 potential assists in two games, each with a 23%+ usage rate. He’s also needed on the floor to check Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defensively. So while it might not be pretty, nor efficient, I do expect Smart to get enough volume tonight.

    Prop’s Pick

    Prop Bet Guy
    Prop Bet GuyDoug
    +680 (82%)
    Last 11 NBA Player Props
    Over 20.5-106
    Ajay Mitchell • PTS + AST • Player Prop
    Picked May 9 @ 7:48 pm, 1 unit on DraftKings
    WIN
    DraftKings. Without Jalen Williams available, Ajay Mitchell has seamlessly filled the void for the Thunder on the perimeter as the complementary playmaker to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The second-year pro has cleared this line in three of four games without Williams in these playoffs, only missing in Game 3 against the Suns due to a 5/20 shooting performance. But the touches, shot volume and usage are all there – the latter has been at 25% or better in each of the last four games. The Lakers lack perimeter defenders in general, and Mitchell has taken advantage of the soft coverages thrown his way.

    Prop’s Pick

    1 2 3 4 T

    1 Thunder 3-0

    		 31 26 33 41 131

    4 Lakers 0-3

    		 25 34 20 29 108
    Game 3
    OKC leads 3-0
    Crypto.com Arena Los Angeles, CA
    TOP SCORERS
    		A. Mitchell PG 24PTS 4REB 10AST
    		R. Hachimura PF 21PTS 5REB 4AST
    Thunder
    STARTERS PTS REB AST PF
    A. Mitchell 24 4 10 3
    S. Gilgeous-Alexander 23 4 9 1
    C. Holmgren 18 9 1 1
    I. Hartenstein 12 9 2 1
    L. Dort 10 3 0 4
    BENCH PTS REB AST PF
    C. Wallace 16 1 1 3
    I. Joe 12 5 2 3
    A. Caruso 6 2 2 3
    A. Wiggins 4 0 0 0
    J. McCain 3 0 1 0
    J. Williams 3 4 2 2
    K. Williams 0 0 0 1
    N. Topic 0 2 0 0
    Total 131 43 30 22
    Lakers
    STARTERS PTS REB AST PF
    R. Hachimura 21 5 4 1
    L. James 19 6 8 1
    A. Reaves 17 3 9 2
    M. Smart 10 3 3 4
    D. Ayton 10 6 0 3
    BENCH PTS REB AST PF
    L. Kennard 18 2 2 1
    N. Smith Jr. 6 0 0 0
    A. Thiero 4 8 1 1
    B. James 2 0 0 0
    J. Hayes 1 2 0 2
    D. Knecht 0 1 3 0
    M. Kleber 0 1 1 1
    J. LaRavia – – – –
    Total 108 37 31 16

  • Harden hits clutch shots, Mitchell scores 35 and the Cavaliers beat the Pistons 116-109 in Game 3

    • AP
    • May 09, 2026

    CLEVELAND (AP) After collapsing in the clutch in the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Cleveland Cavaliers got timely plays in the final three minutes from James Harden and Max Strus to get back into their series against the Detroit Pistons.

    Harden hit three big shots and Strus came up with the steal and go-ahead basket in the Cavaliers’ 116-109 victory on Saturday to cut the Pistons’ lead to 2-1.

    “We know how important it is to get this first win to make it a series. So, really a team win where a lot of guys contributed tonight,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.

    The Cavaliers will look to even the series when they host Game 4 on Monday night.

    Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 35 points and 10 rebounds, while Harden finished with 19 points and Jarrett Allen scored 18.

    There were 11 lead changes, with the final one occurring with 2:28 remaining when Strus jumped to snare Cade Cunningham’s inbound pass to Daniss Jenkins near midcourt. Strus then drove past Cunningham and Jenkins to make a layup and give the Cavaliers a 106-104 advantage.

    Atkinson called it the winning play of the game.

    “That was a game changer right there. It gives us a lead, get a couple stops and a couple buckets and that’s the game,” Harden said.

    Strus said it was about 3-4 seconds into the inbound play that he timed his jump and made the play.

    “My job is to help win in any form or fashion,” said Strus, who finished with seven points, five rebounds and one steal. “Some nights it’s going to be shooting. Some nights it’s going to be defense. Some nights it’s going to be rebounds. The ball didn’t find me tonight, but I don’t care. As long as our team wins, I just want to make an impact and find a way to win.”

    It was also the first of three straight turnovers by Cunningham, who had his second career postseason triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but also committed eight turnovers.

    “I don’t want to say they were careless turnovers because I care about it a lot. They were just bad turnovers,” he said.

    Harden, who drew plenty of criticism for turnovers in the clutch in the first two games, kept the Cavaliers in front with big shots. The 17-year veteran hit a 16-foot step-back jumper to extend the lead to 108-104. After a driving dunk by Cunningham, Harden made a floating 7-footer to put the lead back up to four.

    Cunningham responded with a 3-pointer before Harden provided the decisive blow with 25 seconds remaining on a step-back 3-pointer while being guarded by Harris to make it 113-109.

    Mitchell reached 2,000 career postseason points in his 73rd game, tied for third-fastest among active players and ninth in NBA history. He said Harden’s performance showed why he wasn’t worried after two tough games in Detroit.

    “I think the biggest thing is just he’s always consistent. He’s not result based. I think the biggest thing is we’ve seen him thrive and for me and for the group just continue to be like, ‘Hey, we know who you are. Keep being yourself.’ We’ve seen him play at a very high level, so we have no doubt that he’s going to continue to be great,” Mitchell said. “Every game might not be that way for him, for me, for whoever. But it’s just how do you continue to stay even keel and find ways to impact the game.”

    Tobias Harris added 21 points for Detroit, which had its five-game playoff win streak snapped.

    —

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

    Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

    Expert Picks

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    Prop Bet Guy
    Prop Bet GuyDoug
    +680 (82%)
    Last 11 NBA Player Props
    Over 3.5+135
    Evan Mobley • Assists • Player Prop
    Picked May 9 @ 2:34 pm, 1 unit on DraftKings
    WIN
    DraftKings. At these odds, this is worth a bet. Evan Mobley has 9 assists this series, and 4+ in 5/6 games against the Pistons this season. In the four games with Donovan Mitchell, he’s cleared this line, while averaging 7.5 potential assists and 50 passes per game, both modest increases from his regular averages. Schematically, it makes sense – the Pistons typically defend Mobley with Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart, leaving the paint vulnerable when he catches the ball at the high post. Rather than attacking against solid defenders, Mobley acts as a connector to cutters or spot up shooters.

    Prop’s Pick

    Alex Selesnick
    Alex SelesnickPropStarz
    +53.5 (57%)
    Last 35 NBA Player Props
    Under 18.5-118
    Tobias Harris • Points • Player Prop
    Picked May 9 @ 2:30 pm, 1 unit on FanDuel
    LOSS
    Tobias Harris has provided the Pistons with a reliable secondary scoring option, however I think he’s a significant regression candidate. With the Cavs down 0-2 and the series heading back to Cleveland, I expect a more inspired effort from the Cavs and I don’t think Harris can sustain his current level of output.

    Alex’s Pick

    1 2 3 4 T

    1 Pistons 2-1

    		 30 18 33 28 109

    4 Cavaliers 1-2

    		 32 32 19 33 116
    Game 3
    DET leads 2-1
    Rocket Arena Cleveland, OH
    TOP SCORERS
    		C. Cunningham SG 27PTS 10REB 10AST
    		D. Mitchell SG 35PTS 10REB 4AST
    Pistons
    STARTERS PTS REB AST PF
    C. Cunningham 27 10 10 5
    T. Harris 21 5 0 2
    D. Robinson 15 3 4 3
    J. Duren 11 4 1 3
    A. Thompson 9 7 5 4
    BENCH PTS REB AST PF
    P. Reed 11 3 0 2
    C. LeVert 6 2 0 0
    I. Stewart 4 2 0 2
    J. Green 3 2 0 1
    D. Jenkins 2 1 3 3
    R. Holland 0 1 0 0
    C. Bediako – – – –
    I. Jones – – – –
    T. Smith – – – –
    M. Sasser – – – –
    C. Lanier – – – –
    Total 109 40 23 25
    Cavaliers
    STARTERS PTS REB AST PF
    D. Mitchell 35 10 4 3
    J. Harden 19 2 7 1
    J. Allen 18 4 1 1
    E. Mobley 13 8 4 5
    D. Wade 3 1 0 0
    BENCH PTS REB AST PF
    D. Schroder 11 1 2 0
    M. Strus 7 5 2 5
    S. Merrill 7 0 0 2
    J. Tyson 3 2 2 0
    L. Nance Jr. – – – –
    T. Bryant – – – –
    O. Sarr – – – –
    T. Proctor – – – –
    N. Tomlin – – – –
    R. Minix – – – –
    T. Enaruna – – – –
    C. Porter Jr. – – – –
    K. Ellis – – – –
    Total 116 33 22 17