SPORTS

SAN ANTONIO — David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the twin pillars of the San Antonio Spurs' championship dynasty, were back in the building Monday night for Game 1 of the team's 2026 NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, sending a powerful message of continuity as the franchise's next generation takes center stage.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain as the Los Angeles Lakers open their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but encouraging signs from specialized treatment in Europe have fueled cautious optimism that the superstar could return to the court in early to mid-May if the series extends.

LOS ANGELES — The short-handed Los Angeles Lakers opened their 2026 NBA playoff series with a gritty 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, overcoming the absences of stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves behind strong team play and hot shooting from supporting cast members.

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James described sharing the court with his son Bronny James in a playoff game as "probably the craziest thing that's ever happened to me in my career," after the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series on Saturday night.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered April 2, but encouraging signs from specialized treatment in Europe have sparked cautious optimism that he could return to the court in early May — potentially during the NBA playoffs.

LOS ANGELES — At 41 years old and in his 23rd NBA season, LeBron James is once again carrying the Los Angeles Lakers into the playoffs as their unquestioned leader, but the odds of him bringing a fifth championship ring to the franchise in 2026 appear long amid injuries, tough matchups and steep betting lines against them.

NEW YORK — The 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament concluded Friday night on Prime Video, finalizing the playoff field as high-stakes elimination games delivered upsets, clutch performances and intense drama across both conferences.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Nearly a year after tearing his left Achilles tendon in the playoffs, Damian Lillard remains sidelined but continues making steady progress in rehabilitation, with the Portland Trail Blazers star firmly targeting a full return for the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum is healthy and ready for the 2026 NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics confirmed as the team prepares for its first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic continues aggressive rehabilitation on his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, including specialized stem cell and injection treatments received in Spain, as the team prepares to open the 2026 NBA playoffs without its leading scorer.

As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, the biggest storyline surrounding LeBron James is no longer his on-court dominance at age 41 but where the NBA's all-time leading scorer will suit up for the 2026-27 season — or whether he will play at all.

With exactly 54 days remaining until the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11 in Mexico City, soccer fans worldwide are counting down to "D-Day" — the historic kickoff of the largest tournament ever staged, as betting markets continue to crown Spain the frontrunner to claim glory in the expanded 48-team event.

AUSTIN, Texas — xAI's Grok artificial intelligence has thrust itself into the heart of basketball's greatest debate, releasing a data-driven ranking of the NBA's all-time top 10 players based solely on career Win Shares that places LeBron James at No. 1 and Michael Jordan at No. 6.

LOS ANGELES — ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins ignited fresh debate Thursday by declaring that if the injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers upset the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, the GOAT conversation involving LeBron James would be over for good.

DENVER — Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic enters the 2026 NBA playoffs fully healthy after navigating the first significant injury of his career earlier this season, a left knee hyperextension that sidelined him for 16 games in late December and January. The three-time MVP has shown no lingering effects from the knee issue or a minor right wrist concern managed at the end of the regular season, positioning him as the engine for a Nuggets team seeded third in the Western Conference and set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard remains sidelined with a torn left Achilles tendon and is not expected to play in the 2025-26 postseason, including the team's upcoming play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns. The 35-year-old nine-time All-Star is targeting a full return for the start of the 2026-27 NBA season after a deliberate, season-long rehabilitation process.

MIAMI — As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws near, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face what is almost certainly their final opportunity to add another world title to their legendary careers, with the Argentine poised for a realistic shot at back-to-back triumphs while the Portuguese superstar hunts a first-ever World Cup crown in what would be a record sixth appearance for both.

MIAMI — Lionel Messi's prospects of lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy for a second time in 2026 stand at roughly 11 percent according to current betting markets, with defending champions Argentina positioned as joint third or fourth favorites behind Spain, France and England.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, casting uncertainty over the Los Angeles Lakers' 2026 playoff run and long-term championship aspirations just as the postseason tips off against the Houston Rockets.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is racing the clock to return from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain sustained April 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the Slovenian guard seeking every available edge to shorten a typical four-to-six-week recovery and potentially rejoin his team during the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Houston Rockets.

SALZBURG, Austria — Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper Alex Manninger has died at the age of 48 after his car was struck by a train at an unguarded level crossing in his native Austria on Thursday morning.

NEW YORK — As LIV Golf navigates its fifth season amid swirling reports that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund may end financial backing after 2026, the breakaway league continues operations with bold changes designed to enhance competitiveness and global appeal.

NEW YORK — LIV Golf's 2026 season will proceed as scheduled and "at full throttle" despite swirling reports that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund may cut financial support after this year, league CEO Scott O'Neil assured players and staff in a memo Wednesday amid mounting speculation about the breakaway tour's long-term viability.

LISBON, Portugal — Cristiano Ronaldo will turn 41 during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making it almost certainly his last appearance on soccer's grandest stage. As Portugal prepares for the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's quest to finally lift the only major trophy missing from his collection carries heavy narrative weight — yet betting markets and analysts assign the Seleção das Quinas roughly an 8 to 10 percent chance of winning it all.

LOS ANGELES (April 16, 2026) — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic remained sidelined Thursday with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, but the Slovenian phenom is inching closer to a potential postseason return after undergoing specialized regenerative treatment in Spain.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Curry returned to the Golden State Warriors lineup earlier this month after missing more than two months with a nagging right knee injury, but questions linger about whether the 38-year-old superstar is fully recovered and physically prepared to lead a long-shot playoff push in the 2026 NBA postseason.

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard, the two-time NBA Finals MVP whose quiet dominance once anchored the Los Angeles Clippers' championship aspirations, faces an uncertain future as his three-year, $149.5 million contract hangs in the balance amid an ongoing league investigation into alleged salary-cap circumvention.

MUNICH — Bayern Munich produced a seven-goal Champions League quarterfinal classic Wednesday night, rallying late to defeat Real Madrid 4-3 at the Allianz Arena and advance 6-4 on aggregate, ending the 15-time European champions' campaign in dramatic fashion.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Stephen Curry poured in 35 points, including 27 in the second half, while 39-year-old Al Horford drilled four three-pointers in a stunning fourth-quarter surge as the Golden State Warriors rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 on Wednesday night and advance in the NBA play-in tournament.