Sports News

LOS ANGELES -- Shiny purple and gold streamers fluttered down from the Crypto.com Arena ceiling on Saturday, not only signifying the Los Angeles Lakers' 119-108 win over the Denver Nuggets to stay alive in their first-round series, but also L.A.'s first win over Denver in nearly 500 days. Snapping an 11-game losing streak against the defending champions was certainly a better alternative than heading into the offseason being swept out of the playoffs by the Nuggets for a second straight year. However, down 3-1 in the series, the Lakers will still enter Monday's Game 5 on the edge of elimination. "Well, the only opportunity for us is just to play the next game," LeBron James said after scoring 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. "And we've given ourselves another life. We've given ourselves another lifeline, and it's a one-game series for us." No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff...

TORONTO -- Star center Auston Matthews did not finish Saturday night's Game 4 because of an illness, as the Toronto Maple Leafs fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Toronto now finds itself on the brink of elimination in its first-round playoff series, with a must-win Game 5 on Tuesday in Boston. Coach Sheldon Keefe previously confirmed Matthews played through an illness in Game 3, and Matthews had been absent from multiple team sessions while recovering. It was more of the same in Game 4 when Matthews logged 14:16 in ice time before not returning after the second intermission. "It is all related to the illness he's dealing with," Keefe said, responding to a reporter's question on why Matthews didn't return for the third period. "The doctors pulled him." Matthews was Toronto's hero in Game 2, scoring the game-winning goal and notching two assists to lift the Maple Leafs to a 3-2 victory. It was the Bruins again taking it to Toronto early Saturday....

MIAMI -- After perhaps the most surprising result of the postseason thus far -- the shorthanded, No. 8-seeded Heat beating the No. 1-seeded Celtics in Game 2 to tie their first-round series -- it was natural to wonder how things would play out in the pivotal Game 3. Would Boston, after the head-scratching loss, rebound and again resemble the club that won the East by 14 games in the regular season? Or had coach Erik Spoelstra and his scrappy group found a formula it could repeat to play spoiler in the series for a second straight postseason? The answer, emphatically, was the former. After surrendering 23 3-pointers in their Game 2 loss, the Celtics were far more active and physical defensively Saturday night and smothered the Heat in a 104-84 Game 3 win to take a 2-1 series edge. Game 4 is Monday in Miami. Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown said coach Joe Mazzulla challenged them to play with more defensive intensity after...

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles tied an NFL record for most trades in a seven-round draft with eight. They join the 2023 Houston Texans and 2018 New England Patriots for most draft-day trades since 1990. The wheeling and dealing by general manager Howie Roseman kicked into overdrive Saturday, as Philadelphia executed five different trades on Day 3. The goal was twofold, per Roseman: "To get as many of the guys that we targeted on Day 3 as we possibly can and at the same time see if we can accumulate picks for the future." To that end, the Eagles acquired 2025 third-, fourth- and fifth-round picks via three separate trades, believing they were a little light on selections for next year.   And they were still able to land some of the prospects they had zeroed in on, including a pair of Clemson players in running back Will Shipley and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. They entered the day with seven draft picks and exited with six players and...

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami continued their imperious form in MLS, as the Argentine superstar scored twice in his team's 4-1 win over the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Saturday night. Messi netted coolly from close range in the 32nd and 67th minutes as Miami overcame a first-minute Revs goal to cruise to victory in front of a record home crowd for New England of 65,612. The Revolution's previous highest attendance was the 61,316 who watched the team take on the LA Galaxy in the 2002 MLS Cup final. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, NWSL more (U.S.) Messi now has a league-leading nine goals this season in just seven MLS games. Along with the goals, Messi also provided his seventh assist of the year, setting up former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez for Miami's fourth goal in the 88th minute. Suárez's delightful pinpoint finish came five minutes after fellow...

Mikhail Sergachev's return sparked the host  Tampa Bay Lightning, who avoided elimination with a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of their first-round series on Saturday. One of the Lightning's top defenseman had been out since fracturing the tibia and fibula in his left leg on Feb. 7. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had predicted the Lightning would need to "go far" in the playoffs to see Sergachev dress for another game. Sergachev surpassed all expectations by suiting up just 80 days following that break to be a last-minute addition to the Lightning's starters. "I felt like a hockey player again. It was unbelievable," Sergachev said. "I found out yesterday the [doctors] cleared me, and it was Coach [Cooper's] decision [if I played]. I stayed at the rink a little longer waiting for the coach to say yes or no. And he said yes. I got very excited." Sergachev had hoped he'd be able to come back for Game 1 of the series but that didn't pan out....

BOULDER, Colo. -- Colorado coach Deion Sanders reiterated his commitment to the Buffaloes' program following the spring game Saturday, saying he had no plans to leave to follow his sons to the NFL. Sanders made his comments after his second spring game as head coach, in which his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, played a handful of series during a one-hour scrimmage on a cold, wet day. Shedeur and Shilo are set to play their final collegiate seasons, with Shedeur projected to be one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2025 NFL draft. Colorado has picked up multiple commitments from prospects in the class of 2025 -- including two on Saturday. Sanders was asked what he tells players and parents in future classes about questions regarding his long-term future at Colorado. "I tell them the truth," Sanders said. "I tell them I'm a father, not a baby daddy. I don't follow my kids. I pave roads for my kids. I build generational wealth for my kids. I lead my kids. I...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Alabama safety Jaylen Key said it was "pretty nerve-wracking" waiting seven hours Saturday to hear his name called on Day 3 of the NFL draft. When he learned he had been picked by the New York Jets, he knew exactly what that meant. He was Mr. Irrelevant. "It means everything; that's part of the title," Key said on a video conference with New York-area reporters. "You just have to take it and lean into it. For me, I'm definitely going to lean into every bit of it. I'm Mr. Irrelevant this year, and we're going to make something shake, for sure." The Jets selected Key with the final pick in the seventh round, No. 257 overall -- the franchise's first Mr. Irrelevant choice since 1969. That year, they picked last after winning Super Bowl III. This time, it was a compensatory selection. The Mr. Irrelevant title has grown in stature in recent years, thanks, in large part, to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who...

NEW ORLEANS -- The youngest No. 1 seed in the history of the NBA playoffs certainly isn't being hindered by its lack of playoff experience. The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled to another dominant victory over the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday afternoon, winning 106-85 to take a 3-0 series lead. "We just try to clear the hurdle in front of us," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "That's how we've been through time, not just this season. "And the word I've used with the team is 'uncommon' all year. I think they just have an uncommon maturity and uncommon poise, uncommon competitiveness and togetherness. And with that competitiveness, they're not just siloed competitors. They compete together. And I think that gives you confidence in stressful situations or on the road when you're doing it as part of a unit, and I really think they feel like that." Only twice in NBA history has all of a team's points in a playoff game come from players under 25 years...

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Instead of sweeping the New York Islanders out of the playoffs, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour watched his team give its opponents new life on Saturday afternoon. Forward Mathew Barzal's double-overtime deflection goal won Game 4 for the Islanders 3-2, sending the series back to Raleigh, North Carolina. "They're back in it. We gave them some hope here now," Brind'Amour said. "We've talked about how tough it is to win four games in a row, especially with the game being as even as they are. It could have gone either way in the previous three. We expected it to be a long series and now we've just got to focus on the next one." Barzal powered the Islanders with his first two goals of the playoffs, tying the game in the second period and then winning it by deflecting home a shot from the point by defenseman Robert Bortuzzo at 1:24 of the second overtime. "We weren't going to go down without a fight, and now we're in a...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Kirk Cousins' position as the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback of the foreseeable future has not changed after the team's stunning first-round NFL draft decision, according to new coach Raheem Morris. The Falcons selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of Washington with the No. 8 pick Thursday night. The choice sent shockwaves across the NFL since Atlanta had just signed Cousins as a free agent last month to a four-year contract worth up to $180 million, with $100 million of that guaranteed. At the Falcons' post-draft media availability Saturday, Morris halted any quarterback controversy. "We came up with a decision, this is what we plan to do," said Morris, who was hired in January after the firing of former coach Arthur Smith. "And Kirk does not have to look over his shoulder every time he throws a bad pass. Like, that is not the case. "So, I know I'm going to have to tell you guys once or twice that that is not the case....

BOULDER, Colo. -- Colorado coach Deion Sanders reiterated his commitment to the Buffaloes' program following the spring game Saturday, saying he had no plans to leave to follow his sons to the NFL. Sanders made his comments after his second spring game as head coach, in which his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, played a handful of series during a one-hour scrimmage on a cold, wet day. Shedeur and Shilo are set to play their final collegiate seasons, with Shedeur projected to be one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2025 NFL draft. Colorado has picked up multiple commitments from prospects in the class of 2025 -- including two on Saturday. Sanders was asked what he tells players and parents in future classes about questions regarding his long-term future at Colorado. "I tell them the truth," Sanders said. "I tell them I'm a father, not a baby daddy. I don't follow my kids. I pave roads for my kids. I build generational wealth for my kids. I lead my kids. I don't follow my kids. So...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Kirk Cousins' position as the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback of the foreseeable future has not changed after the team's stunning first-round NFL draft decision, according to new coach Raheem Morris. The Falcons selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of Washington with the No. 8 pick Thursday night. The choice sent shockwaves across the NFL since Atlanta had just signed Cousins as a free agent last month to a four-year contract worth up to $180 million, with $100 million of that guaranteed. At the Falcons' post-draft media availability Saturday, Morris nipped any kind of quarterback controversy in the bud. "We came up with a decision, this is what we plan to do," said Morris, who was hired in January after the firing of former coach Arthur Smith. "And Kirk does not have to look over his shoulder every time he throws a bad pass. Like, that is not the case. "So, I know I'm going to have to tell you guys once or twice that that is...

BOULDER, Colo. -- Colorado coach Deion Sanders reiterated his commitment to the Buffaloes' program following the spring game Saturday, saying he had no plans to leave to follow his sons to the NFL. Sanders made his comments after his second spring game as head coach, in which his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, played a handful of series during a one-hour scrimmage on a cold, wet day. Shedeur and Shilo are set to play their final collegiate seasons, with Shedeur projected to be one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2025 NFL draft. Colorado has picked up multiple commitments from prospects in the class of 2025 -- including two on Saturday. Sanders was asked what he tells players and parents in future classes about questions regarding his long-term future at Colorado. "I tell them the truth," Sanders said. "I tell them I'm a father, not a baby daddy. I don't follow my kids. I pave roads for my kids. I build generational wealth for my kids. I lead my kids. I don't follow my kids. So...

INDIANAPOLIS --  Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard is doubtful for Game 4 of the team's first-round series Sunday against the Indiana Pacers because of an Achilles injury.  Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has not played in this series because of a calf strain, also is doubtful, according to the team.  Lillard was wearing a walking boot following the Bucks' film session Saturday afternoon after agitating the injury near the end of the fourth quarter in Game 3 on Friday. He was grabbing at his leg after a foul on Aaron Nesmith with 6.2 seconds remaining in regulation. He stayed on the floor as Game 3 went into overtime, but he went scoreless and did not attempt a shot. A source said the injury is a strained right Achilles tendon, as first reported by The Athletic. Lillard's Achilles has been bothering him for a few weeks. He revealed he had been feeling some discomfort following Milwaukee's regular-season finale in Orlando and then sat out the first...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots selected University of Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III in the sixth round of the NFL draft Saturday, double-dipping at the position after picking North Carolina's Drake Maye third overall. Milton acknowledged he was somewhat surprised to hear from the Patriots at pick No. 193 but said it was nonetheless special to receive word from the team given the adversity he said he has faced over his career. "I had all the [NFL] hats laid out. You just never know where you're going to end up. I was just waiting on any phone call," he told reporters on a videoconference. "It's a blessing, for sure." The 6-foot-5, 246-pound Milton said all of his conversations with the Patriots have been about playing quarterback. Some draft analysts wondered if teams might consider him as a tight end, but Milton said bluntly: "That will never happen." The Patriots now have five quarterbacks on their roster, led by veteran ...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis wiped away a tear at the start of his video conference with reporters, overcome with emotion after being selected in the fifth round by the New York Jets on Saturday. "This is a freaking dream come true," Travis said. "I mean, it still hasn't hit me yet. My emotions are kind of everywhere right now." Travis, whose promising 2023 season ended with a gruesome left ankle fracture last November, can restart his career on a quarterback depth chart that includes future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers and seasoned backup Tyrod Taylor. Travis was the eighth quarterback selected, the first Florida State quarterback since Jameis Winston went No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015. The Jets were looking for a developmental quarterback after trading Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in 2021, to the Denver Broncos on Monday. General manager Joe Douglas...

PHILADELPHIA -- Jeremiah Trotter to the Eagles. Again. With the 20th pick in the fifth round, the Eagles selected Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. -- the son of one of the most beloved players to wear the midnight green. Trotter Sr., a third-round pick of the Eagles in 1998, patrolled the middle of the defense for eight seasons, racking up four Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl appearance during that time. "It means a lot. I know the type of legacy he left with this organization and the fans, just how they treat him. It definitely means a lot to come in and continue that legacy," Trotter said of his father and joining his team. "I'm trying to help out the team any way I can. I'm a hometown kid and the Eagles were always my favorite team growing up, so it's definitely great to be able to play for them and just have the opportunity that I have." Trotter Jr. was born in New Jersey and played high school football at St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia. He went on to star at...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --  Kansas City Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said the team would look at options beyond renovating Arrowhead Stadium as it searches for a home beyond the expiration of its lease following the 2030 season. "We will approach it from a broader perspective going forward because time is short for us at this point and so we need to see what other options are out there for us,'' Hunt said. "When we started on this process three years ago, it felt like we had a very long time, a long runway with about 9½ [years] left on our lease. We're now down to 6½ and so I do feel very much of a sense of urgency. "Arrowhead is a special place for our family and our fan base. That was one of the reasons that we focused on it with the last effort, but going forward it may make more sense for us to be in a new stadium.'' Voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected a sales tax measure earlier this month that would have helped fund major renovations to Arrowhead as well as build a...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It turned out all of those conversations the Denver Broncos had in recent weeks with the New York Jets weren't just about quarterback Zach Wilson. The Broncos stayed busy on Day 3 of the draft Saturday as they acquired defensive end John Franklin-Myers from the Jets, sources told ESPN. The Broncos sent the Jets a 2026 sixth-round pick. Franklin-Myers, who was the Los Angeles Rams' fourth-round selection in the 2018 draft and joined the Jets in 2019 after the Rams had waived him, will quickly be in the mix to start at defensive end in the Broncos' 3-4 look, opposite of Zach Allen. Franklin-Myers was slated to be in the third year of a four-year, $55 million extension he signed in 2021. He was scheduled to make $29 million over the next two years.  The Jets decided to move on from Franklin-Myers after acquiring pass-rusher Haason Reddick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Three weeks ago, the...

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints selected South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler with the first of three fifth-round picks Saturday. Rattler was the first quarterback to come off the board since Day 1, when six quarterbacks were selected in the first round. "At the end of the day it's a blessing to get picked wherever," Rattler said Saturday. "I knew we were waiting around a day or two but I had faith that I would be picked today. ... I was very happy the Saints came and picked me, what a great feeling." Rattler said that he took a pre-draft visit to New Orleans and had dinner with Saints quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. Rattler said the visit went great and he had a feeling the Saints could be in the mix to select him. Rattler joins a quarterback room that includes starting quarterback Derek Carr, who signed an four-year deal worth up to $150 million in free agency in 2023, veterans Kellen Mond and Nathan Peterman and...

Barcelona booked their spot in May's Women's Champions League final as they overcame a 1-0 deficit from the first leg to beat 10-woman  Chelsea 2-0 in front of a sold-out Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Chelsea's defeat ensures that the Champions League will remain the one trophy that eludes Emma Hayes as she leaves the club after 14 years in charge to coach the United States women's national team at the end of the season. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Under Hayes, Chelsea have reached the final only once, in 2021 when they were thrashed 4-0 -- again by Barça. The Catalan side, who have won the Champions League twice in the last three years, went ahead in the 26th minute when Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí found space on the edge of the box and sidestepped Niamh Charles. Her shot took a deflection off Kadeisha Buchanan into the net. The goal, after sustained pressure at high tempo from the visitors, cancelled...

INDIANAPOLIS --  Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has a strained right Achilles tendon, sources confirmed to ESPN, putting his availability for Game 4 of the team's first-round series against the Indiana Pacers in jeopardy. Lillard was wearing a walking boot following the team's film session Saturday afternoon after agitating the injury near the end of the fourth quarter in Game 3 on Friday night. Lillard was grabbing at his leg after a foul on Aaron Nesmith with 6.2 seconds remaining in regulation. He stayed on the floor as Game 3 went into overtime, but he went scoreless and did not attempt a shot. Lillard's Achilles has been bothering him for a few weeks. He revealed he had been feeling some discomfort following Milwaukee's regular-season finale in Orlando and then sat out the first few days of practice before the start of the playoffs in order to recover, a break Lillard said helped him feel fresh entering the series. After Lillard agitated...

INDIANAPOLIS - Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has a strained right Achilles tendon, sources confirmed to ESPN, putting his availability for Game 4 of the team's first-round series against the Indian Pacers in jeopardy. Lillard was wearing a walking boot following the team's film session on Saturday afternoon after agitating the injury near the end of the fourth quarter in Game 3 on Friday night. Lillard was grabbing at his leg after a foul on Aaron Nesmith with 6.2 seconds remaining in regulation. He stayed on the floor as Game 3 went into overtime, but he went scoreless and did not attempt a shot. Lillard's Achilles has been bothering him for a few weeks. He revealed he had been feeling some discomfort following Milwaukee's regular-season finale in Orlando and then sat out the first few days of practice before the start of the playoffs in order to recover, a break Lillard said helped him feel fresh entering the series. After he agitated the injury...

Stanford transfer Andrej Stojakovic, the son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic and one of the best available wings in the portal, has committed to Cal, he told ESPN. Stojakovic visited the Golden Bears' campus last weekend and came away impressed by coach Mark Madsen's program. The Sacramento, California, native was pursued by Kentucky, North Carolina and Michigan, among others, but opted to stay close to home. "It was just the overall transparency from Coach Madsen and his staff," Stojakovic said. "We had many conversations about a development plan, what me at Cal could look like. Just overall, the consistency with them recruiting me, spending time with myself and my family." Madsen made Stojakovic a priority in the portal from the time he entered in mid-March, conducting an in-home visit with the freshman wing and his family early in the process. "I didn't know him at all. My dad didn't know him personally. He came to the house that...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos opened Day 3 of the NFL draft with a move to select a teammate of quarterback Bo Nix, who was their first-round pick Thursday night. The Broncos, who traded five draft picks and three players to the Seattle Seahawks to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson in 2022, dialed up the Seahawks again Saturday morning. Denver moved up from No. 121 overall to No. 102 -- the second pick of Day 3 -- to select Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin. The Broncos also sent a fifth-round pick (No. 136 overall) and a sixth-round pick (No. 207) to the Seahawks and received a seventh-round pick (No. 235) in addition to the pick they used for Franklin. With the trade of Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, Franklin's speed is needed in the Broncos' offense. Franklin was one of the fastest receivers at the scouting combine this year with a 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash, and the Broncos' expectation is...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos opened Day 3 of the NFL draft with a move to select a teammate of quarterback Bo Nix, who was their first-round pick Thursday night. The Broncos, who traded five draft picks and three players to the Seattle Seahawks to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson in 2022, dialed up the Seahawks again Saturday morning. The Broncos moved up from No. 121 overall to No. 102 -- the second pick of Day 3 -- to select Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin. The Broncos also sent a fifth-round pick (No. 136 overall) and a sixth round pick (No. 207 overall) to the Seahawks and received a seventh-round pick (No. 235 overall) in addition to the pick they used for Franklin. With the trade of Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, Franklin's speed is needed in the Broncos' offense. Franklin was one of the fastest receivers at the scouting combine this year with a 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash, and the...

BYU senior Jaxson Robinson, a projected NBA draft pick, plans to enter the transfer portal, he told ESPN. Robinson, who graduated Friday, announced this week that he plans to enter the NBA draft, and while the draft process -- including a potential invitation to the NBA draft combine -- is still his priority, entering his name into the portal before the May 1 deadline allows him to keep his options open. "The reason I am entering the transfer portal is because of the new coaching change at BYU," Robinson said. "I want to get to know Coach [Kevin] Young, but at the same time, I need to weigh all of my options. However, my primary focus is still achieving my longtime dream of playing in the NBA." The combine is May 12-19, and the deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft is May 29. Should he opt to return to college, the perception will be that following coach Mark Pope to Kentucky is the most likely route. But Robinson said he will look at other schools...

Sheffield United have been relegated from the Premier League with three games remaining following their   5-1 defeat to Newcastle at St. James' Park on Saturday. Chris Wilder's side have already broken the record for most goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season with 97, and remain on track to surpass Swindon Town's mark of 100 goals conceded in the 1994-95 season, when the division contained 22 teams. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Sheffield United have already passed the ignominy of the lowest points tally in Premier League history -- that record remains with Derby County's 11 points in 2007-08 -- but should they lose their remaining three fixtures, they will have accumulated the third-fewest points in a 38-game season. Their season has been punctuated by heavy defeats both at Bramall Lane and on the road, notably the 8-0 home loss to Newcastle in September, the 5-0 reverse away at ...

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon said Friday that he has a high-grade partial tear of his left hamstring, with the update coming five days after he was placed on the injured list with a "strain." It is expected to be a lengthy recovery for Rendon, who has not played more than 58 games in any of his previous four seasons since signing a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels, although one of those was the shortened 2020 pandemic season. "I'm definitely not going to be back in the 10-day window," Rendon said. "It's been four years running now. So I was angry for a few days, frustrated, mad, everything you could imagine because the game keeps getting taken away from me, right? I want to win, and I want to be out there. I do everything in my power to stay out there, and it seems like nothing is working." Rendon is batting .267 with no home runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases in 19 games. He opened the year by going 0-for-19 in five games before...

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon said Friday that he has a high-grade partial tear of his left hamstring, with the update coming five days after he was placed on the injured list with a "strain." It is expected to be a lengthy recovery for Rendon, who has yet to play more than 58 games in any of his previous four seasons since signing a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels, although one of those was the shortened 2020 pandemic season. "I'm definitely not going to be back in the 10-day window," Rendon said. "It's been four years running now. So I was angry for a few days, frustrated, mad, everything you could imagine because the game keeps getting taken away from me, right? I want to win, and I want to be out there. I do everything in my power to stay out there, and it seems like nothing is working." Rendon is batting .267 with no home runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases in 19 games. He opened the year by going 0-for-19 in five games before...

Australian golfer Lucas Herbert says his caddie is "good now" after he was struck in the head by a water bottle during second-round action Saturday at LIV Golf Adelaide. Herbert had just made birdie on No. 12 and was celebrating with boisterous fans when his caddie, Nick Pugh, was hit in the back of the head by a water bottle thrown by a patron while he was replacing the flag in the cup. Pugh was knocked to his knees but managed to avoid serious injury. He eventually made his way back to the clubhouse at The Grange Golf Club. "I was worried about him to begin with, but he's good now," Herbert said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, after his round. "He's good, and he took it really well. He could have been a lot more upset with it, but he took it really well." More than 30,000 fans were in attendance for LIV Adelaide's second round, many of whom were crammed into the popular party hole. "It's probably difficult to request someone who has had 15...

Mohamed Salah has refused to reveal the reasons behind the touchline disagreement he had with manager Jurgen Klopp during Liverpool's 2-2 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday, saying: "There is going to be fire today if I speak." Klopp and Salah appeared to have a disagreement as the Egypt international waited to be introduced from the bench with 13 minutes remaining, with fellow substitutes Darwin Núñez and Joe Gomez stepping in to defuse the situation. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) - Liverpool ratings: Van Dijk, Alisson 5/10 as title hopes hit again Salah declined the opportunity to speak to reporters in the mixed zone following the full-time whistle in East London, saying: "There is going to be fire today if I speak." The draw dealt a further blow to Liverpool's fading hopes of winning the Premier League, with Klopp's team now two...

Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw away to West Ham United on Saturday, suffering a further blow to their hopes of lifting the Premier League trophy in manager Jurgen Klopp's final season at the club. Liverpool, still reeling from a 2-0 loss at Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday, were marginally the better side in a flat first half. The visitors had a penalty denied for an offside in the build-up before Luis Díaz hit the post. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) They again conceded first, however, when Jarrod Bowen nodded home shortly before halftime, his 20th goal of the season in his 200th game for the West Ham. Liverpool levelled three minutes after the restart through Andy Robertson when his shot wriggled past Alphonse Areola at the goalkeeper's near post. Liverpool then took the lead in the 65th minute through the ugliest of own goals, with Cody Gakpo's sliced...

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay acknowledged the NFL Network report that quarterback Matthew Stafford would like more guaranteed money on his contract, saying, "We're going to try to figure it out." McVay said he has "had good dialogue" with Stafford about the situation, adding that the quarterback has "been working with our guys, and we will keep those things in-house." Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March 2022, but his salary is not guaranteed after the 2024 season. "We're going to take a day at a time," McVay said Friday on the second night of the NFL draft. "We'll see, so we're going to try to figure it out. "There's nothing that's more important than making sure that he feels appreciated and he knows how much we love him and want him to lead the way. And I think that commitment that I think he wants to have can be reciprocated, and we want to work towards figuring that out." Asked if Stafford would...

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay acknowledged the NFL Network report that quarterback Matthew Stafford would like more guaranteed money on his contract, saying, "We're going to try to figure it out." McVay said he has "had good dialogue" with Stafford about the situation, adding that the quarterback has "been working with our guys, and we will keep those things in-house." Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March 2022, but his salary is not guaranteed after the 2024 season. "We're going to take a day at a time," McVay said Friday on the second night of the NFL draft. "We'll see, so we're going to try to figure it out. "There's nothing that's more important than making sure that he feels appreciated and he knows how much we love him and want him to lead the way. And I think that commitment that I think he wants to have can be reciprocated, and we want to work towards figuring that out." Asked if Stafford would...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. --  Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. spoke on the phone Thursday night after the  Atlanta Falcons stunningly took Penix with the No. 8 pick in the NFL draft. Penix, who led the  Washington Huskies to the national championship game last season, said Cousins reached out to him and that the two quarterbacks had a "very good conversation," although he did not disclose specifics about what they spoke about. "I'm going to keep it just between me and him right now," Penix said Friday at a news conference at the Falcons' facility. "But it was definitely a good conversation, and I'm super excited to work with him, and he said he's the same with me." Falcons coach Raheem Morris described the call between Cousins and Penix as "a pretty cool outing by both of those guys to have the empathy and the humility to talk to each other about what was going to happen and how [Cousins] talked about his support." The Falcons signed Cousins last...

PHOENIX -- The boos trickled down in the third quarter Friday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves began to pull away, just as they had in the first two games of the series. Soon, that trickle became a deluge, and by the end of the quarter, a steady stream of fans poured out of the Footprint Center. When Game 3 reached its final minutes, most of the sellout crowd had long ago departed into the desert night after their team's disastrous performance. The Timberwolves' wire-to-wire 126-109 win placed the Phoenix Suns, a team that began the season with championship expectations, on the brink of being swept in the first round of the playoffs. It also placed the Timberwolves one win away from winning their first playoff series since 2004. The Suns fans' displeasure was palpable -- and the team, which trailed by as much as 24, certainly heard it. "They expect so much out of us and they pay their hard-earned money, and they deserve to react how they want to...

DALLAS -- Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said the inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee did not respond the way he had hoped after Game 2, and after gutting out 25 minutes in Friday's 101-90 loss to the  Mavericks, his status for Sunday's Game 4 is in question. Leonard had nine points and nine rebounds but did not look like his normal self in Game 3 at American Airlines Center. With their franchise player limited, the Clippers unraveled and now trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Leonard was asked if he will be able to play Sunday afternoon with less than 48 hours between Games 3 and 4. "Yeah," Leonard said. "Right now, I'll see [how it feels] tomorrow. But I want to play." Leonard missed 23 days with inflammation in his right knee and sat out the final eight games of the regular season and Game 1 of this first-round series against Dallas. He logged 35 minutes in his return Tuesday, finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds and four...

DALLAS -- A couple of heated confrontations during the fourth quarter of the  Mavericks' 101-90 Game 3 win over the Clippers on Friday night resulted in a pair of ejections and a boost to  P.J. Washington's local popularity. Washington, the power forward acquired by the Mavericks at the trade deadline, was ejected along with Clippers guard Russell Westbrook with 6:10 remaining. That confrontation began with Westbrook fouling Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic by grabbing his right arm from behind and yanking on it, pulling Doncic backward. When Doncic approached Westbrook to object, Westbrook shoved him with his left arm. Washington and Westbrook then exchanged shoves before other players, coaches, officials and security prevented the skirmish from escalating. "Always got to protect 77 at all costs," Washington told ESPN. "So I mean obviously it was a hard foul and then he pushed him afterwards, so I was right there and I just had to...

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have yet to fill their running back need, but the return of Ezekiel Elliott looks more and more likely. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones would not say the Cowboys have an agreement in place with Elliott, who played for Dallas from 2016 to 2022, but he has acknowledged interest in Elliott. Jones was asked Friday whether not drafting a running back during the first three rounds was more about the way the draft has fallen or the Cowboys' comfort level of what they have on the roster. "First of all, the draft's not over and that's a thought," Jones said. "And it was a long time before a running back was taken in today's draft. But we also are keenly interested in seeing what the future might look like with Zeke." The Cowboys met with Elliott and his agent, Rocky Arceneaux, earlier this week to discuss a potential reunion. Then Elliott and Arceneaux happened to go to the same restaurant, Dee Lincoln Prime, where the Cowboys...

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay acknowledged the NFL Network report that quarterback Matthew Stafford would like more guaranteed money on his contract, saying, "we're going to try to figure it out." McVay said he has "had good dialogue" with Stafford about the situation, adding that Stafford has "been working with our guys, and we will keep those things in-house." Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March 2022, but his salary is not guaranteed after the 2024 season. "We're going to take a day at a time," McVay said Friday on the second night of the NFL draft. "We'll see, so we're going to try to figure it out. "There's nothing that's more important than making sure that he feels appreciated and he knows how much we love him and want him to lead the way. And I think that commitment that I think he wants to have can be reciprocated, and we want to work towards figuring that out." When asked if Stafford would...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts general manager Chris Ballard fiercely defended second-round pick Adonai Mitchell against criticisms of his character after selecting the wide receiver Friday night, calling the condemnations of the former Texas star "bulls---" during a lengthy rant. Mitchell, selected 52nd overall, had hoped to be selected in the first round but slid into the second round amid reports that he interviewed poorly and was a difficult player to assess. Ballard pushed back vociferously against those reports. "I read some of the bulls--- that was said," Ballard said. "Excuse my language. Our typical league -- unnamed sources, bad interviews. That's such bulls---. I mean, it f---ing is. It's bulls---. Put your name on it. I'm tired of it. We tear these young men down. "These are 21-, 22-year-old young men. And can people out there tell me they're perfect in their lives? It's crazy. It's crap. This is a good kid. And for those reports to come out, it's...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Injuries are beginning to pile up for the Milwaukee Bucks, presenting them with a new hurdle as they try to rally from a 2-1 deficit in their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers. Milwaukee has already been playing without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, sidelined with a calf strain. Khris Middleton was listed as questionable entering Friday's Game 3 before scoring 42 points in 41 minutes. And near the end of the fourth quarter, Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury that he said hindered him during overtime. "We are just taking a lot of hits right now as far as injury-wise," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after his team's 121-118 loss in overtime.  Lillard finished with 28 points on 6-of-20 shooting in 45 minutes, but he did not take a shot and went scoreless in overtime. He told Rivers he wanted to stay on the floor to serve as a decoy for Middleton, who hit tying 3-pointers with 2 seconds remaining...

PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles moved up in the second round to select versatile Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean on Friday. DeJean, a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2023, had been widely projected to be selected in the first round but was still on the board as Day 2 got underway. The Eagles traded both of their second-round picks -- Nos. 50 and 53 -- along with a fifth-round pick to the Washington Commanders for picks 40 and 78. The 40th pick was spent on DeJean, who totaled seven interceptions and 13 passes defensed over the past two seasons for Iowa while also making an impact as a punt returner. He missed the end of last season with a broken fibula, but has since been medically cleared to return to football. "Physically, I'm good," DeJean said after being drafted. "If there was a game played today, I'd be ready to go." He held a personal pro day in early April and reportedly ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash. DeJean...

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- After an offseason during which they parted ways with much of their offensive talent, the Los Angeles Chargers have added a new receiver for Justin Herbert. The Chargers traded up three spots Friday in the second round to select Georgia receiver  Ladd McConkey. At 6 feet, 186 pounds, McConkey ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine and had 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns over his three years at Georgia. After the Chargers selected  Quentin Johnston with the 21st pick last year, it's the second time in the common draft era that they have taken a wide receiver in the top two rounds in consecutive years. McConkey had a back injury that sidelined him for Georgia's first four games last season and an ankle injured that sidelined him for the Bulldogs' regular-season finale. McConkey said that those injuries have no impact on him now and that his size shouldn't be a concern in the NFL. "Just looking at the receivers...

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- If the Los Angeles Lakers' season ends with a sweep in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, Darvin Ham is going down with the same guys who got them there. "I'm not changing my starting lineup," Ham said Friday after L.A. had a film session in lieu of practice. Down 3-0 against the Nuggets a year ago in the Western Conference finals, Ham took D'Angelo Russell out of the starting lineup for Game 4, which L.A. lost 113-111. This time, with Russell going scoreless on 0-for-7 shooting in Game 3 (0-for-6 from 3) and seemingly disengaged from the team in the fourth quarter Thursday as he sat on the end of the bench by himself while L.A. huddled, Ham is sticking with his point guard. "You want to give your players a chance to make good for themselves," Ham said. "There were questions about that after Game 1 and you saw what we did in Game 2. He got back in the gym, as he's always done, and worked on his stuff. And...

Liam McNeeley, a top-10 recruit and the best available high school prospect in the 2024 class, has committed to UConn, he told ESPN. "It felt like a perfect fit," McNeeley said. "Coach Hurley is a hard-nosed coach. That's the kind of coach I thrive under. The offensive system they run is perfect for my game. The culture of the team. The sets they run. They are going to help me get better on both sides of the ball. The whole coaching staff are good people." McNeeley, a 6-foot-7 wing from Richardson, Texas, picked the Huskies over Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan and others. He was previously committed to Indiana, but requested his release last month. McNeeley, ESPN's No. 9 prospect in the class of 2024, was named a McDonald's All American after helping Montverde Academy to a perfect 33-0 season that culminated in a win in the championship game of the Chipotle High School Nationals earlier this month. He was Montverde's third-leading scorer this season behind...

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Amarius Mims shrugged off criticism from someone who was once on the verge of coaching him. When the Bengals selected Mims on Thursday with the 18th overall pick in the NFL draft, former Alabama coach Nick Saban questioned Mims' consistency throughout his playing career at Georgia. As a high school prospect, Mims had once been committed to play for Saban before he ultimately signed with Georgia, where he made eight starts in 29 games over three seasons. During his introductory media session in Cincinnati, Mims wasn't fazed by Saban's comments. "Everybody has their own opinions of me," Mims said Friday. "I don't really care about what he said or what he had to say, honestly. I'm just glad to be a Cincinnati Bengal." The 6-foot-8 offensive tackle joins a team that features two other 6-8 players who anchor the Bengals' offensive line -- left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and right tackle Trent Brown. As a...

Juwan Howard has agreed to a deal to become an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN on Friday. Howard -- fired by Michigan in March after five seasons as coach -- joins new Nets coach Jordi Fernandez's staff. Howard spent six seasons as an assistant under Erik Spoelstra with the Miami Heat upon his retirement from an NBA career that included 19 seasons, two championships and All-Star and All-NBA selections. After his initial success as Wolverines coach, Howard was approached for some NBA head-coaching openings -- including with the Los Angeles Lakers -- but remained at Michigan, where he eventually coached his sons  Jett and Jace. Howard led the Wolverines to a Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight in his time at his alma mater but struggled in the past two seasons, culminating with an 8-24 record that led to his dismissal. Howard joins assistant Steve Hetzel, who left the Portland Trail Blazers after three...