Sports
LeBron James powers shorthanded Lakers to important win over Warriors
SAN FRANCISCO — Fans from New Zealand and Australia held signs toward the camera proclaiming they had traveled thousands of miles to watch Warriors star Stephen Curry play.
On one sign, “play” was crossed out and replaced with a frowning face.
LeBron James instead gave fans a glimpse at a generational star, leading the Lakers to a 119-103 win over the Warriors on Thursday with 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
After missing the Lakers’ last game, the 21-time All-NBA player returned as the guiding force amid a season threatening to fall off the rails. The Lakers (51-29) ended a three-game losing streak and kept pace with the Houston Rockets in a tight race for home-court advantage in the Western Conference.
“We just had a sour taste in our mouths, obviously, for last week,” James said, referencing injuries to stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and the recent skid. “… And just none of us wants to continue to lose, and then we hurt for our two main guns. So, just a mindset of just trying to figure out how we can be great as a team, how we can figure out how to play well on the road and try to get a win.”
Trying to avoid their longest losing streak of the season, the Lakers relied on James to steady the ship. After the Lakers gave up a 9-0 run to start the second quarter, he hit a contested three out of a timeout to get them back on track. He fed the ball to Deandre Ayton, keeping the big man engaged for 21 points on nine-of-11 shooting with five rebounds.
Luke Kennard had 14 points and eight assists. The sharp-shooting guard has 28 assists in the last three games, adapting into the team’s emergency point guard to compensate for the loss of Doncic and Reaves.
“Talking as a group this morning like this is what we have right now, and we gotta figure it out,” Kennard said. “We’re trying to win games. Worked this hard to get where we are, to be in the position that we’re in right now, and we don’t want to just throw it away.”
Lakers star LeBron James shoots during a win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
(David M. Barreda / Los Angeles Times)
Losing James to a lingering left foot injury before Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder added to an emotional week for the Lakers. They lost Doncic and Reaves in a blowout loss in Oklahoma City on April 2 and had to face the NBA’s best team without their Big 3. Jaxson Hayes also didn’t play Tuesday and remains day-to-day after missing Thursday’s game as well.
Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted the Lakers were not prepared to compete Tuesday. He later recognized that an effort to inject some energy into his players by calling early timeouts and subbing out veterans such as Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt didn’t help, especially after a heated exchange with Vanderbilt was caught on camera.
“What I told the team today — I think this is important — is we have had a very disjointed season because of all the injuries and throughout the year, we — collectively, staff, players — we’ve had to figure out the best path forward with whatever group is available,” Redick said. “And that’s no different right now. We have to figure out over these next three games and over next week, the best path for this team to play winning basketball.”
Through the emotional ups-and-downs, Redick checks in with Reaves and Doncic daily. Doncic, receiving treatment on his injured left hamstring in Spain, is in “relatively — relatively good spirits,” Redick said. Doncic is “attacking” his rehab, Redick said, but being away from the team has taken a toll on his psyche. Reaves, who is out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain that is expected to take four to six weeks to heal, has benefited from staying with the team.
“I think for both of those guys, there is, like, a carrot,” Redick said. “If we can get this season extended, they can come back and they can play. Those guys love playing basketball.”
Houston won its eighth straight game Thursday to stay tied with the Lakers for the No. 4 seed. Both teams have two games remaining, and the Lakers have the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The difference between finishing fourth and fifth is home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but James wouldn’t entertain any talk about planning for the playoffs.
“What the future holds, we have no idea,” James said, “and obviously the past is the past. So what we can focus on is how we continue to get better and better each and every day.”
Lakers guard Bronny James looks to pass under pressure from Golden State’s LJ Cryer, left, and Charles Bassey during the second quarter Thursday.
(David M. Barreda / Los Angeles Times)
James gave his teammates a scare in the third quarter when he hurt his right hand on a chase-down block. It appeared swollen as he went to the bench. Kennard also walked away from the play holding his left hand after attempting to slap the ball away from the Warriors’ Pat Spencer. Redick joked that the scene made him turn off his Amazon Prime broadcast microphone for several seconds.
But James returned with three minutes left in the third quarter. He wouldn’t give his team yet another reason to worry.
“His leadership all day long, in the meeting, in the walkthrough this morning, just the way he carried himself,” Redick said, “just he really set the tone for the team.”
Battling a chronic knee injury in the latter stages of the season, Curry watched from the bench. His absence in the Warriors’ last home game of the season also put a damper on what could have been another enthralling matchup of two of the NBA’s biggest stars.
Between the artistry of Curry and the physicality of James, they’ve been faces of the league, Redick said. But with the 41-year-old James not under contract after this season, the generational stars may never compete against each other on an NBA court again.
Redick called the idea “dark.”
“It’s been fun to watch as a fan,” Redick said of the rivalry between Curry and James, “and it’s been fun to be a part of it the last couple years.”
Curry greeted James before the game. Now a sneaker free agent after his high-profile departure from longtime sponsor Under Armour, Curry honored his contemporary with a blue and yellow version of the LeBron X iD sneakers.
Sports
Kai Trump shares photos from Augusta National after Tiger Woods’ DUI arrest, treatment departure
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Amateur golfer Kai Trump was on hand for one of the sport’s premier events this week. The granddaughter of President Donald Trump traveled to historic Augusta National Golf Club, where she had the opportunity to get an up-close look at some of the world’s top golfers competing for the coveted Masters green jacket.
But Trump traveled to Georgia knowing five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods would be absent. Woods was arrested after a rollover crash in Florida late last month.
He later announced he would not compete at this year’s Masters. A Florida judge allowed the golfer to travel outside the U.S. to enter a “comprehensive inpatient treatment facility,” court records showed.
Kai Trump attends the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia on April 9, 2026. (Instagram/@KAITRUMPGOLFER)
Trump’s mother, Vanessa, has been publicly linked to Woods and showed support after his DUI arrest, writing “Love you” in an Instagram Stories post featuring the pair.
The 18-year-old Trump shared highlights from her visit to Augusta National in a post on Instagram Thursday, including a photo with LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and his caddie, Greg Bodine.
Kai Trump poses for a photo with Bryson DeChambeau during the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia on April 9, 2026. (Instagram/@KAITRUMPGOLFER)
“What a special place,” Kai, who is set to take the next step in her golf career at Miami, captioned an Instagram post with a heart emoji.
TIGER WOODS’ ENTIRE SOBRIETY TEST CAUGHT ON BODYCAM FOOTAGE: ‘I’M GETTING ARRESTED?’
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, causing it to roll over onto the driver’s side.
Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.
“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” a sheriff’s department spokesperson said.
Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club after a match against the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center March 24, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
Woods entered a not guilty plea in response to the DUI charges. Before his arrest, he indicated that playing the season’s first major was a possibility.
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In the 14 majors since he won the green jacket in 2019, Woods has failed to muster a top 20 finish. It’s his longest such streak since failing to finish in the top 20 in the first six majors of his career in 1995 and 1996. In his last 26 majors, he has only four top 20 finishes.
Since finishing tied for ninth at the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open, his best finish in his 18 official events since then has been a tie for 37th at the 2020 PGA Championship.
Woods has not competed in a professional golf tournament since 2024, when he competed in just five events — the Genesis Invitational and the four majors. He withdrew from the Genesis, finished dead last in the Masters and missed the cut in the other majors.
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Sports
LeBron James and resilient Lakers defeat Suns, stay in hunt for No. 3 playoff seed
The ball is back in LeBron James’ hands, and he is thriving in his “new” role as the Lakers’ primary caretaker.
James is in this position in the wake of injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He had been the third option behind Doncic and Reaves, and he shifted back to a role he has been accustomed to playing over his 23-year career.
James has been a force over the last three games, with his latest standout performance coming Friday night in the Lakers’ 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena.
James finished with 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds to help the Lakers secure at least the No. 4 seed in the uber-tough Western Conference.
The Lakers (52-29) still have a shot at the third seed if they beat the Utah Jazz at home on Sunday and if the third-place Denver Nuggets lose at San Antonio on Sunday, the final day of the regular season. Because the Lakers won the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, they would get the higher seed over Denver if the two teams finish with identical records.
“Obviously we are going to be able to feed off our crowd. That’s going to be great,” James said. “We’re going to have home court. That’s great for our fans. But the game is played in between the four lines. So, looking forward to that.”
James was 10 for 16 from the field against the Suns and two for two from three-point range.
Lakers guard Luke Kennard, center, controls the ball in front of Phoenix guards Amir Coffey, left, and Jamaree Bouyea during the first half Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Over his last three games in this new role, James has averaged 24.6 points, 12.6 assists and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field and 46% from three-point range.
He was on point from the beginning against the Suns.
James quickly went by a defender on a back-door cut, took a pass from Luke Kennard and threw down a two-handed, rim-rattling dunk. James flexed in front of his teammates on the bench, who stood to give their approval. The Suns called time out with four minutes and 53 seconds left in the first quarter, giving the fans more time to appreciate what James was still able to do at 41 years old.
“I’m just trying to make plays,” James said. “I had to tap back into a role that I’ve been accustomed to in the past, but obviously it wasn’t what it was this year. But circumstances have put me back in and I’m just trying to figure out my teammates and my teammates feeding off me and just trying to make things happen for us to continue to stay afloat.”
Whoever the Lakers face in the playoffs, coach JJ Redick believes teams want to face his group because of their injuries. Doncic and Reaves are not expected back for the first-round of the postseason.
“I’m sure everybody wants to play us. Let’s get that out there, like, everybody wants to play us,” Redick said before the game. “Probably teams that are in a position where they can start looking forward to potential second-round matchups as well. … Again, I’ll say what I told the team yesterday, what I told you guys after the game, we have to figure out the formula and the belief for this group to be successful. And so that’s our focus for tonight and that’s going to be our focus on Sunday.”
For Kennard, who had 19 points and three assists in his new role as the lead point guard, the Lakers face a big challenge in the playoffs without Doncic and Reaves.
“You’re missing 60 points a game, and yeah, it’s definitely out there and I’m sure people are thinking about that and what we’re missing,” Kennard said. “But we also have [James] and the way he’s been playing and leading us has been incredible, and obviously, we’re going to need him to continue to do that. But I think these last few games everybody’s starting to get a rhythm.
“We’re starting to figure out what playoffs are going to look like for us, rotations and all of that,” Kennard continued. “Guys are getting more comfortable with it and they’re playing well together and it’s been fun. So, yeah, I think no matter who we play, we’re going to be ready to fight from Day 1, Game 1. And they gotta come here first, no matter who it is, and I think we’re going to look forward to it.”
Notes: Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes missed his third straight game with left foot soreness, but he has been making progress. “Hope to have him back Sunday,” Redick said. “But yeah, he’s still day to day.” … The Lakers waived guard Kobe Bufkin. It means the Lakers have a roster spot available to sign another player for the playoffs. “We’re evaluating all the options we have,” Redick said. … Marcus Smart, who had missed nine straight games with a right ankle contusion, had six points in 18 minutes.
Sports
Minor league team plates 10 runs in one inning on just one hit, zero errors in frigid conditions
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The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Double-A affiliate, achieved a rare feat not seen in the post-expansion era.
Portland’s pitchers — New Hampshire’s opponent for a six-game series — combined for walks, wild pitches and hit batters, paving the way for the Fisher Cats to pull off the feat.
The Fisher Cats fell behind 2-0 early in Tuesday’s game against the Sea Dogs, the Eastern League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
But New Hampshire scored its first eight runs in the second inning without recording a single base hit.
A Portland Sea Dogs cap during a game between the Erie SeaWolves and the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine, Sept. 5, 2025. (Ella Hannaford/Minor League Baseball)
The Fisher Cats exploded for 10 runs in the inning — nine with two outs — on just one hit and no errors, the final box score in New Hampshire’s 12-7 win showed. The feat was fueled by Portland pitchers issuing eight walks and hitting two batters. Sea Dogs pitchers also uncorked four wild pitches and allowed a sacrifice fly and the inning’s lone hit.
BRAVES ACE CHRIS SALE SLAMS BASEBALL AGAINST HIS HEAD AFTER WALKING THE BASES LOADED IN WILD SCENE
Sea Dogs president Geoff Iacuessa couldn’t believe what unfolded.
“I don’t ever remember seeing that here or any other game I’ve ever seen,” Iacuessa told Portland’s WGME Channel 13. “It was crazy. I thought maybe something was going on with the scoreboard, and then I checked the GameChanger, and it was correct.”
The rare moment happened amid frigid conditions that prompted the stadium’s ground crew to clear the playing grass and infield after heavy snow fell earlier in the day. Temperatures were just a few degrees above freezing at first pitch.
The inning unraveled quickly after a quiet start, when Portland starter Hayden Mullins issued two walks and uncorked a wild pitch despite striking out the side in the first. New Hampshire then broke through with a sacrifice fly.
Hayden Mullins pitches for the Portland Sea Dogs during a game against the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field in Harrisburg, Pa., Aug. 5, 2025. (Kyle Mace/Minor League Baseball)
Mullins eventually managed to record two outs, but then lost control, walking three straight to tie the game. Jorge Juan came on in relief but hit the first batter he faced with the bases loaded.
A wild pitch made it a 4-2 score, and a walk loaded the bases again for the Fisher Cats. Juan then hit a batter, making it 5-2, before firing another wild pitch to push the Sea Dogs deficit to four runs. Juan walked two more to push it to 7-2 before leaving the mound with a runner at each base again.
Cade Feeney took the hill next and finally stopped the leaking, but not before a wild pitch made it 8-2 and New Hampshire outfielder Ismael Munguia’s two-run single pushed the lead to 10-2.
Ismael Munguia of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats poses for a photo during the team’s photo day at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, N.H., March 30, 2026. (Michael Owens/MLB Photos)
Munguia represented his native Nicaragua in last month’s World Baseball Classic, appearing in four games.
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Not even a team at the major league level has scored more than four runs in an inning without recording its first hit, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
MLB.com reports it has happened just 16 times in American League and National League history that a pitcher allowed five runs without surrendering a hit in 1⅔ innings or fewer.
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