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👀 Five things to know Tuesday
- Donovan Mitchell and the “Cavalanche” buried the Pistons in Game 4. Down by five points at halftime, the Cavaliers were in jeopardy of falling behind 3-1 in the series, and then Mitchell flipped a switch. He sparked a 23-0 run by Cleveland to open the third quarter, and Mitchell himself accounted for a record 39 second-half points. It was an overwhelming Cavs barrage that led to a 112-103 win and a 2-2 series. Keep up with all the results from around the NBA playoffs with our handy bracket.
- The Avalanche are one win away from the Western Conference Final. Didn’t expect to lead with two avalanche references, but here we are. After dropping Game 3 on the road, the Avs were on a mission last night, and that was bad news for the Wild. Colorado outplayed Minnesota for large swaths of the game en route to a 5-2 win, and it’ll now take a 3-1 series lead back to Denver. With two more games on tap tonight, keep up with all the scores and schedule updates right here.
- Victor Wembanyama will not be suspended for elbowing Naz Reid. The Spurs will have their superstar for Game 5 after Wembanyama avoided a suspension for elbowing Reid in the neck. There was a case for Wembanyama to sit for at least one game, but he’ll be back on the floor against the Timberwolves tonight. The newly minted Defensive Player of the Year has been a force in the playoffs, averaging 19.6 points and 4.4 blocks per game.
- David Njoku has agreed to a one-year contract with the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh is just collecting freakishly athletic tight ends in Los Angeles. The Chargers have added Njoku on a one-year deal worth $8 million, and he brings 4,062 career receiving yards and 34 career TDs with him to L.A. The tight end room now features Njoku, Oronde Gadsden II and Charlie Kolar. Justin Herbert is going to like having that trio around him.
- Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy is recovering from a gunshot wound. On Monday, Missouri announced that Hardy is in stable condition after being shot at a concert in Mississippi over the weekend. Hardy had to undergo emergency surgery to repair the wound, and the timeline for his recovery is unknown. The priority for Hardy is getting back on his feet, and the Tigers will miss him in the meantime. Last season, he led the SEC with 1,649 rushing yards while adding 16 touchdowns.
🏀 Do not miss this: What’s next for LeBron James?
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The Thunder finished their sweep of the Lakers with a 115-110 victory, and there will be time to discuss what Oklahoma City has done. However, the main focus at the moment is squarely on the future of LeBron James.
Will one of the greatest basketball players in history ever step on an NBA court again? If he does, which jersey will he wear? Our own Sam Quinn explored all the possibilities — including retirement — and has placed a percentage chance on each. A return to the Lakers, a Cavaliers reunion or retirement all seem like natural conclusions to this saga … but what about LeBron in a Knicks uniform?
- Quinn: “If it’s about money, it’s the Lakers. If it’s about sentiment, it’s the Cavaliers. If it’s about playing with a specific teammate, it’s the Warriors. But what if it’s about the challenge? What if James wants to climb one last peak, check one last box? Ending New York’s 50-year championship drought would probably be the single biggest boost James could give his legacy.”
In what could be his final NBA game, the 41-year-old James recorded a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds as he tried to will his Lakers to at least one second-round win. At the podium after the game, James addressed his NBA future.
If this was James’ final game with Los Angeles, one way or another, find out how the Lakers might replace him (kidding) in our latest 2026 NBA mock draft from Gary Parrish.
Regardless of what happens with James, the Lakers will have some soul-searching to do.
⚾ MLB Power Rankings: Cubs challenging Dodgers
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Last season, the Dodgers cruised to the World Series because they were head and shoulders above every other team in the NL. Fortunately for everyone who enjoys drama in October, that probably won’t be the case this fall.
The Cubs and Braves — the top two teams in this week’s MLB Power Rankings — look like they can give the Dodgers a run for their money. In the case of Chicago, the team is off to one of the hottest starts in franchise history. As Matt Snyder explains, the Cubs look like a legitimate NL pennant contender.
- Snyder: “Through Friday, the Cubs had won 20 of 23 games. They’ve still won 20 of 25. It’s one hell of a stretch of baseball. It’s the best they’ve looked since 2016. Pair this with how the Braves have played so far and the Dodgers might just have their hands full on the National League side of the playoffs this October after slicing through it last year with a 9-1 record.”
Because I’m in a good mood, here’s the bottom half of the top 10:
6. Yankees (-4)
7. Padres (-1)
8. Cardinals (-1)
9. Pirates (-1)
10. A’s (+3)
With about one quarter of the MLB season behind us, it’s time to sort out which teams are for real and which ones might be fraudulent. That’s what our own Matt Snyder tried to do when he identified playoff contenders and pretenders.
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
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📺 What we’re watching Tuesday
🏒 Sabres at Canadiens: Game 4, 7 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Cubs at Braves, 7:15 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Timberwolves at Spurs: Game 5, 8 p.m. on NBC
🏀 Aces at Sun, 8 p.m. on USA Network
🏒 Ducks at Golden Knights: Game 5, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Fever at Sparks, 10:30 p.m. on USA Network
