SPORTS

PITTSBURGH — With the 2026 NFL Draft set to open Thursday at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders are poised to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, according to the near-unanimous consensus of scouts, executives and mock drafts released in the final days before the event.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama has transformed the San Antonio Spurs from lottery hopefuls into legitimate 2026 NBA title contenders, with betting markets assigning the franchise roughly a 15-20% implied probability of winning the championship — a remarkable leap fueled by the 22-year-old phenom's dominance and the team's late-season surge.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic continues progressing in his recovery from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, rejoining the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles after specialized treatment in Europe and participating in limited practice sessions as the team battles the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Cristiano Ronaldo has delivered the latest reassuring chapter in his remarkable career, putting a hamstring injury scare firmly in the rearview mirror and refocusing on his quest for a sixth FIFA World Cup with Portugal.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic continues to battle a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that has sidelined him since early April, raising questions among fans about his mobility and potential return during the NBA playoffs.

LOS ANGELES — Charles Barkley didn't hold back on "Inside the NBA" after the Los Angeles Lakers stunned the Houston Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

BOSTON — The world's oldest annual marathon returns Monday with its 130th edition, drawing more than 30,000 runners from all 50 U.S. states and over 130 countries to the historic route from Hopkinton to Copley Square.

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Durant will miss the Houston Rockets' playoff opener against the Los Angeles Lakers after suffering a right knee contusion in practice, dealing an early blow to one of the Western Conference's most intriguing first-round matchups.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama delivered a historic performance in his NBA postseason debut Sunday night, scoring a franchise-record 35 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the Portland Trail Blazers and ignite hopes of a deep playoff run.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's meteoric rise has ignited passionate debate across the NBA: when his career ends, will the 7-foot-4 French phenom stand taller in franchise and league lore than Tim Duncan, the quiet cornerstone who defined two decades of San Antonio Spurs excellence?

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.