SPORTS

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, but the Los Angeles Lakers received a modest positive update Thursday as the superstar edges closer to on-court activity without a firm return timeline for the ongoing first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's availability for Game 3 of the San Antonio Spurs' first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers hangs in the balance as the 22-year-old phenom continues progressing through the NBA's concussion protocol following a hard fall in Game 2.

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft opened with a bang Thursday night at Acrisure Stadium as the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, kicking off a first round heavy on skill-position talent and defensive playmakers.

PITTSBURGH — As the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday night in Pittsburgh, all eyes are on a loaded class filled with franchise quarterbacks, shutdown cornerbacks, dominant edge rushers and versatile offensive weapons. With the Las Vegas Raiders holding the No. 1 overall pick, this year's talent pool could reshape multiple franchises for years to come.

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night from Pittsburgh's iconic North Shore, and football fans across the country have multiple ways to watch all three days of the event live on television and streaming platforms.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama has started light training and individual on-court work as he progresses through the NBA's concussion protocol, offering cautious optimism for the San Antonio Spurs as they navigate their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers without their franchise cornerstone.

RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo delivered another memorable performance as Al Nassr advanced to the Asian Champions League Two final with a hard-fought victory in the semifinals on Wednesday, keeping alive the Portuguese superstar's quest for a major trophy in Saudi Arabia.

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday night with Round 1 starting at **8 p.m. ET** on April 23, as the league brings its marquee event to Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948 in a highly anticipated three-day spectacle at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has emerged as the overwhelming frontrunner to win the 2026 NBA Most Valuable Player award, with the three finalists now confirmed as Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's latest injury — a diagnosed concussion suffered in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers — has renewed scrutiny of the 22-year-old superstar's injury history and raised questions about his long-term durability as he navigates the physical demands of the NBA.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker unleashed rare public criticism of NBA officiating Wednesday night, calling the work of crew chief James Williams "terrible through and through" and warning that inconsistent calls are harming the league's credibility and turning games into entertainment resembling professional wrestling.

SAN FRANCISCO — Patrick Bailey delivered the decisive blow with a three-run home run in the seventh inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night at Oracle Park and handing the two-time defending World Series champions their fourth loss in five games.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts is not yet fully recovered from a right oblique strain suffered in early April, with the 33-year-old still in the early stages of baseball-specific activities and facing an uncertain timeline that could keep him sidelined well into May or longer.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama has officially been diagnosed with a concussion following a frightening face-first fall in Game 2 of the San Antonio Spurs' first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, with further testing on Wednesday yielding no immediate clearance and raising serious doubts about his availability for the remainder of the series.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a grade 2 left hamstring strain, and the team is not expecting the Slovenian sensation to return during its first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, dealing a significant blow to championship aspirations in the 2026 NBA postseason.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's frightening face-first fall in the second quarter of Game 2 has left the San Antonio Spurs without their franchise cornerstone and raised serious questions about how a concussion will impact the towering 7-foot-4 phenom's play if and when he returns in the 2026 NBA playoffs.

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion after a frightening fall in Game 2 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, thrusting the 22-year-old phenom into the NBA's strict concussion protocol and raising questions about his availability for the remainder of the postseason.

ZURICH, Switzerland — With exactly 50 days until the opening whistle of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026, soccer's governing body unleashed a fresh wave of tickets Wednesday for all 104 matches, giving fans one more shot at securing seats in the largest tournament in the event's history.

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts continues to rehab a right oblique strain suffered on April 5 against the Washington Nationals, with the Los Angeles Dodgers taking a cautious approach to his return as the four-time World Series champion has already missed more than two weeks of action.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama exited Game 2 of the San Antonio Spurs' first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night after a hard fall to the court and was diagnosed with a concussion, leaving his availability for Game 3 on Friday in Portland very much in doubt as the series sits tied at 1-1.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic remains sidelined indefinitely with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, forcing LeBron James to shoulder an even heavier load as the Los Angeles Lakers built a 2-0 first-round playoff series lead over the Houston Rockets despite missing two key starters.

LOS ANGELES — With less than two months until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on American soil, organizers are grappling with unexpectedly sluggish ticket sales for the host nation's opening match, as high prices appear to be deterring fans from snapping up seats for the United States men's national team's June 12 clash against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James is once again carrying the injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers through the early stages of the 2026 NBA playoffs, engineering a 2-0 series lead over the Houston Rockets with vintage all-around performances. Yet even with the surprising early success, the realistic probability that James can lead the Lakers to the 2026 championship sits at approximately 1.3 percent according to current betting markets.

LOS ANGELES — At 41 years old, LeBron James once again reminded the NBA why he remains one of basketball's most dominant forces, posting 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic, still sidelined by a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, brought energy and support from the Los Angeles Lakers bench during their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, even as he remains out for Game 2 on Tuesday night.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama has entered the NBA's concussion protocol after a hard face-first fall in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers, but early signs suggest the 22-year-old Spurs phenom could potentially return to action in as little as 7 to 14 days if he progresses through the league's multi-step clearance process without setbacks.

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo López will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing elbow surgery on his right ulnar collateral ligament, a devastating blow to the team's rotation just days into spring training that leaves the club searching for answers as it prepares for the campaign without its Opening Day starter.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama exited Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night after a hard face-first fall and was placed in the NBA's concussion protocol, casting doubt on his availability for the remainder of the series and delivering a significant blow to the San Antonio Spurs' postseason hopes.

NEW YORK — New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took a major step forward in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on Friday, making his first minor-league rehab start with Double-A Somerset and throwing 4.1 innings while striking out three, as the team targets a mid-to-late May return to the major league rotation for the 2026 season.