Sports
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Abhishek Sharma: IPL 2026 Eliminator Could Be Pure ‘Carnage’
The stakes could not be higher as Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals prepare to lock horns in the Eliminator of IPL 2026 in Mullanpur on Wednesday. With a place in Qualifier 2 on the line and elimination awaiting the loser, there is absolutely no room left for error. Yet, while the team dynamics promise high drama, the real headline-grabber is the prospect of pure, unadulterated batting ‘carnage’ at the top of the order. This knockout clash sets the stage for a mouth-watering, boundary-heavy showdown between two of the tournament’s most destructive left-handed openers — Rajasthan’s young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Hyderabad’s aggressive talisman Abhishek Sharma.
There isn’t a lot separating Sooryavanshi and Abhishek in the Orange Cap standings. While Sooryavanshi is placed 6th, with 583 runs to his name, Abhishek is 8th with 563. If the previous encounters this season are anything to go by, the opening overs of this Eliminator will be an absolute carnival of boundaries.
During their first meeting in Hyderabad, SRH’s batting unit put on a brutal display, but it was their second clash in Jaipur that truly set the tone for this individual rivalry. On that day, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced one of the most violent spectacles in IPL history, hammering a stunning 36-ball century. He exacted ruthless revenge on SRH’s debutant pacer Praful Hinge by smashing him for four sixes in the very opening over of the match.
However, Abhishek Sharma refused to be outshone. Leading a commanding chase of 228, Sharma tore into the Royals’ bowling attack with equal ferocity, proving that he can match Sooryavanshi blow for blow. On Wednesday night, with the Mullanpur pitch offering a license to thrill, these two dynamic openers are expected to go all-out from ball one.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Have Form On Their Side
Sunrisers Hyderabad head into this knockout clash as favourites, holding momentum and confidence after defeating Rajasthan Royals twice during the league phase. Pat Cummins‘ side finished third on the points table with 18 points from 14 matches — level with the top two sides, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans — but slipped to the Eliminator owing to an inferior net run rate.
SRH’s campaign has been a masterclass in resilience. The franchise had to navigate the opening half of the tournament without regular captain Pat Cummins, prompting the management to hand leadership responsibilities to Ishan Kishan. After losing three of their first four matches, Hyderabad revived their season with five consecutive victories to stabilise their playoff push. Cummins’ return further strengthened the side, with SRH winning two of their final three league games.
While their young bowling attack, featuring Sakib Hussain and Eshan Malinga alongside Cummins — has stepped up admirably, Hyderabad’s true backbone remains their terrifying batting unit. With Sharma providing the initial fireworks, Ishan Kishan (who smashed a brutal 91 off 44 balls in the first RR game) and Heinrich Klaasen provide lethal firepower in the middle order, alongside the rapidly evolving Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Rajasthan Royals: Third Time Lucky?
For Rajasthan Royals, the Eliminator represents the ultimate chance to rewrite the narrative against Hyderabad after two difficult defeats. They sealed the final playoff berth with a crucial victory over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, finishing fourth with 16 points after winning eight league matches.
To overcome a Hyderabad side that has consistently troubled them, Rajasthan will need to fully unleash their explosive batting lineup. If Sooryavanshi can replicate his Jaipur heroics and survive the early threat of Praful Hinge, RR possess the firepower to completely disrupt the SRH bowling plans.
Knockout cricket famously ignores league-stage history. While Hyderabad hold the psychological edge, Rajasthan know that if Sooryavanshi wins the opening powerplay battle against Sharma’s counterpart, the road to the IPL 2026 final remains wide open.
For one team, the journey continues. For the other, Wednesday night will mark a violent end of the road.
With IANS Inputs
Featured Video Of The Day
IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss
Topics mentioned in this article
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Vegas Golden Knights punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in its short history on Tuesday night as they swept the Colorado Avalanche 4-0.
The Golden Knights accomplished the feat after making a bizarre move toward the end of the regular season. Vegas made the abrupt move of firing head coach Bruce Cassidy and replacing him with John Tortorella with just eight games left in the regular season.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Vegas head coach John Tortorella’s refusal to speak to the media after Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks is costing him and the team more than they probably expected. (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)
Vegas won seven of its last eight games of the season, only losing in a shootout to the Seattle Kraken. The surge helped the team solidify a spot in the playoffs. They later defeated the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games each on their way to knocking off the Western Conference’s top seed, the Avalanche.
“It’s by far our best game,” Tortorella said after the Game 4 win. “(Checking is) something we’ve been concentrating on, and I think we’ve gotten better and better through the rounds. But tonight’s game was our best checking effort, and that’s a hell of a hockey team we played over there.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella watches during the first period of Game 1 in the Western Conference finals against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on May 20, 2026. (David Zalubowski/AP)
Mark Stone and Cole Smith scored in the Golden Knights’ 2-1 win.
Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart made 20 saves and believed that the team’s defense was frustrating Colorado.
“I think once we scored that first goal, in the second and third period we just kind of locked it down and kept pressure on them,” Hart said. “We did a great job. We had some huge blocks tonight.”
Tortorella is now four wins away from picking up the second Stanley Cup title of his career. He guided the Tampa Bay Lightning to the championship in 2004 but hasn’t been back since.
Vegas Golden Knights centers Colton Sissons, Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel celebrate after winning Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Colorado Avalanche in Las Vegas on May 26, 2026. (John Locher/AP)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone celebrates after winning Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Stanley Cup playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche in Las Vegas on May 26, 2026. (John Locher/AP)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Vegas will meet the winner of the series between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
If the San Antonio Spurs aren’t able to win two straight games in this Western Conference Finals that they now trail 3-2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Victor Wembanyama is going to regret his Game 5 performance for a long time. This was the biggest game of his life and he laid an egg with 20 points and six rebounds on 4-of-15 shooting in a 127-114 loss. He only reached the 20-point mark because he piled up 12 free throws.
The six rebounds is inexcusable for Wembanyama, a skyscraper of a human being at 7-foot-4. The four buckets speak more to Wembanyama’s weakness — in more ways than one — as a 22-year-old who is still, as crazy as it sounds, in the infancy stage of his basketball development.
And here it is: Wembanyama does yet operate consistently enough in the paint. It’s not exactly a revelatory observation that the dude who can damn near reach the rim without lifting his feet off the ground should be playing closer to the basket, but it’s the truth nonetheless.
Sometimes Wembanyama gets down there, as he did in Games 1 and 4. Not coincidentally, those are the games the Spurs won in this series. And sometimes he doesn’t, as was the case in Games 2 and 3, and most painfully, Game 5 on Tuesday. If all you do is put Wemby’s Game 1 shot chart (a 41-point, 24-point masterpiece) next to his Game 5 shot chart (Tuesday night’s clunker), you already know which game the Spurs won and which one they lost.
It has been said that great strengths can also be great weaknesses, and in this case, Wembanyama’s ability to play a skill- and too often perimeter-based game that nobody his size has ever been able to play has, at least for now, clouded his offensive judgment in terms of where his true advantage lies.
Great scorers score on their terms, from their spots, but Wembanyama doesn’t have any ironclad terms or spots yet. He is something of an offensive free agent, willing to listen to any and all defensive offers and then accept whatever option strikes his fancy in the moment.
That needs to change. And it will. Wembanyama needs to establish an offensive office — the spots and shots he goes to when it’s time to work. Not because the defense broke a certain way to allow it, but because he owned the possession from the start. This is Kevin Durant at the elbow. Luka Dončić or Houston James Harden getting to the step-back. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander separating in the midrange. Carmelo Anthony facing up. Stephen Curry saying “screw it” when the off-ball movement isn’t working and just running high pick-and-roll for a pull-up 3.
It’s plainly evident in a game like Tuesday night that when the circumstances of an offensive possession don’t play out a certain way, Wembanyama can’t consistently bend them to his will. Defensively, he’s the best player on earth and it’s not particularly close. Offensively, he’s a jack of all trades but master of none. The paint needs to be his point of mastery.
But understanding this need to set up in and operate from deeper positioning is only half the equation. The other half is having the physical force to actually do it. That’s the literal weakness in Wemby’s game right now. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has put Isaiah Hartenstein on him, and the 250-pound Hartenstein is just bullying him farther out on the court. Through the first 19 minutes of Game 5, Wembanyama had two buckets and one rebound. He’s 7-foot-4. That is a guy who is literally being pushed out of a game.
There are different ways to dominate in the paint. Wembanyama is obviously a terrifying roller, but he doesn’t do this consistently enough. He often sets the pick and pops to the 3-point line. Other times, he flares out and simply serves as a floor spacer for the rest of a possession.
When he tries to catch at the elbow and attack downhill from there, he’s often not strong enough to hold his line to the basket. At points, he’s having to resort to firing balls off the backboard intentionally to try to get his own offensive rebound because his initial foray has looked like, well, an extremely skinny guy running into a brick wall.
After the Miami Heat lost in the 2011 Finals to the Dallas Mavericks in a series in which he was exposed, embarrassingly, for his inability, or unwillingness (or probably a combination of both) to punish Dallas for guarding him with small defenders in the post, LeBron James famously spent the summer working out with Hakeem Olajuwon to develop his back-to-the-basket game. It took his domination to another level in the years to come, and it’s still buoying his scoring at 41 years old.
Generally speaking, post-up offense isn’t the way the game is played today. Teams wants spacing. Wembanyama, as a 3-point threat, pulls opposing centers out of the paint, which is good for spacing. He’ll probably never be a guy who consistently plants himself on the block. He shouldn’t be, in fact.
But he needs to develop both the strength and mentality to force his way into the paint when push comes to shove. Be it as a roller, facing up from deeper pre-pass positioning (which requires more strength to earn), or simply attacking quickly with real intent before the defense can get set, good things are going to happen even if Wembanyama isn’t the one scoring because of all the attention his paint presence draws. Like this:
There just weren’t enough attacks like this from Wemby in Game 5. There weren’t enough lobs. Post-ups. Seals. There certainly weren’t enough offensive rebounds, of which he had just one. You just cannot stress the obvious enough: This is the tallest guy on the court by a wide margin. Sure, it’s cool to be able to shoot 3s and show off your handle and pull-up over any contest, but winning is cooler.
And right now, this feels like the difference between the Spurs winning and losing this series. When Wembanyama plays in the paint, they win. When he doesn’t, they lose. This game was there for the taking. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another mediocre night by his standards (32 points, yes, but just 7 for 19 shooting) and Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell didn’t even play.
The Spurs were within eight with seven minutes to play despite shooting 29% from 3 and killing themselves with out-of-control and, at times, just straight-up airhead turnovers. Relatively speaking, Wembanyama didn’t show up for this one when a signature performance would’ve likely led to the Spurs going back home with a 3-2 lead and a chance to clinch an NBA Finals showdown with the New York Knicks rather than on the ropes of elimination.
But it’s still there for the taking. Again, it’s not that Wembanyama never asserts himself inside. He does it about half the time. If Game 6 on Thursday is the right half for San Antonio, we could very well be headed to a Game 7. At which point, throw everything out the window; anything can happen in one game.
Understand, this isn’t so much a critique of Wembanyama as it is an observation. The evolution of a superstar doesn’t happen all at once. Wembanyama has ascended at a meteoric pace, but offensively, he’s not quite at the level of the best players in the world, even though his overall impact warrants inclusion in that conversation.
But he’s a lot better than he was on Tuesday, when he and the Spurs missed a golden opportunity to take control of this series.
Sports
Coco Gauff involved in ‘mini car accident’ on her way to French Open match | Other Sports News
 "Coco Gauff")
Coco Gauff of the United States reacts after scoring a point against Leylah Fernandez of Canada during a women’s singles match of the China Open tennis tournament, at the National Tennis Center, in Beijing, China, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Photo: PTI)
Coco Gauff was involved in a car accident on the way to Roland Garros for the first match of her French Open title defense. She did not appear injured.
“We got in a mini car accident on my way to the site today,” Gauff told TNT Sports with a laugh. “We ran into a (pole). You felt a little impact. I spilled my juice all over the car.
“The car was not drivable. So we ended up taking a taxi,” Gauff added after beating fellow American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0.
Gauff started her match earlier than expected when there was a retirement in another match on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“And then right before I went onto court, my dress got stuck, so my physio was in the bathroom trying to help me take it off,” Gauff said. “It was an eventful day. But I feel like whenever that happens, it lets you not think about the match too match. I’m just happy to be here in one piece.”
Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s title match in Paris.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First Published: May 27 2026 | 3:06 PM IST
Alexandra Eala of Philippines serves to Iva Jovic of the U.S. during their first round men’s singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala is taking her first-round exit in the 2026 French Open in stride, embracing the growing pains that come with competing regularly on the Grand Slam stage.
Eala bowed to American doubles partner Iva Jovic, 4-6, 2-6, on Tuesday (Philippine time), crashing out in the opening round of her second straight main draw appearance at Roland Garros.
READ: Alex Eala falls to Iva Jovic in French Open first round
“I think there were definitely apparent differences, at least how I saw it. Of course, I have to process a little bit more and then maybe get into it in a deeper level with my team. But I think that there were a couple of things that Iva did better than me today,” said Eala after the loss.
“I see the difference between players of her level or maybe her ranking rather than my general level. I’m not saying that I can’t get there. And I’m not saying that I haven’t put out that level yet. But I think I know what work needs to be done in order to make it more of my average.”
Despite another early exit, the Rafa Nadal Academy graduate remained proud of her progress and optimistic about her future.
“I’m top 40 now. I’ve done a lot of great things. And the game at this level is so much more than just technique. So there’s so, so many different factors that build into it. But that being said, I’m super proud of how far I’ve come,” said Eala, who just turned 21.
READ: Alex Eala, Iva Jovic share love after French Open clash
“I’m confident in myself. I’m confident in how I play even through losses like this. And I think that’s very important. It’s very difficult to achieve every single week. So I take that in my stride.”
Eala now shifts her attention to the doubles competition, where she teams up with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko against the pair of Leylah Fernandez and Diana Shnaider in the opening round on Wednesday evening.
After Roland Garros, Eala is expected to begin preparations for the grass-court season.
“I have doubles here. Right now, that’s kind of my full focus,” she said.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
“And then I think I will be going to different tournaments than I did last year, but I have not confirmed. So wait and see, guys.”
Hip hop blares over speakers, barely eclipsing the thuds of gloves striking focus mitts and bodies dropping onto mats. As the evening wears on and the dozen participants break a serious sweat, condensation builds on the windows.
While Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training at Athletic Sonnenberg resembles many such gyms, members of the Chemnitz sports club see it as a battleground for democracy.
“This has a clear political element,” said Stani, the martial arts coach at Athletic Sonnenberg. “Lots of martial arts gyms in Saxony are run by right-wingers and there are many right-wing structures in the MMA scene generally.”
Athletic Sonnenberg is focused on diversity and empowerment. Organizers hope it can stand out in a moment when the far right is increasingly instrumentalizing sports — and especially MMA — to recruit new members.
The far right and MMA
Martial arts, often tied to football hooligan groups, offer right-wing groups a growing audience of young men. Many of them might not initially be interested in politics but can be reached via sports. MMA also doubles as direct preparation for violent confrontations with political opponents or police.
Chemnitz is one of the biggest cities in Saxony, a state in eastern Germany where the far right has long been growing. The Alternative for Germany party is the second biggest in the state legislature , and currently leads polls by a wide margin.
The extreme right is also on the rise, particularly among younger people. Mixed martial arts has long been an important recruitment tool for right-wing movements in Germany, like the Third Path. Attempts to ban prominent right-wing exhibitions hasn’t stopped the growth.
“Here in Saxony, the far-right is ever more powerful, especially in martial arts but also in sports more widely. It’s clearly been a trend in recent years,” Lena, an Athletic Sonnenberg member, told DW.
“It’s kind of an open secret . People know which gyms here have ties to former neo-Nazis or where people with ties to the Nazi scene train. You know to avoid those,” Stani said.
Taking to the ring
Instead of just avoiding right-leaning gyms, Athletic Sonnenberg decided to offer something different. While participants come for a mix of reasons, the area’s political atmosphere often plays a role.
“Right-wing structures and violence are present here [in Chemnnitz]. You see them in groups in front of clubs or outside shopping centers and it doesn’t feel right,” Lis, a participant in the MMA class, told DW.
“The MMA class helps us know how to deal with these situations, or at least feel a bit stronger when they come up. It’s not like I think I can fight a big group of guys, but it does make a difference mentally to have training.”
Lis also likes the openness and community feeling at Athletic Sonnenberg. The wider club, which also has football, volleyball and cycling teams, launched in 2020 and began offering martial arts classes in 2024.
Inclusivity is a priority, and the club offers both mixed gender training and sessions tailored specifically to women, trans and non-binary participants. From first-time fighters to advanced athletes, all are welcome.
“We want to offer young people here an alternative. If someone decides they want to try MMA, they should have more options than just joining a right-wing gym. They should also be able to join an inclusive gym where everyone trains together in an intercultural space,” Lis said.
The inclusivity means that people not necessarily interested in politics also take part.
“I work in security, and my colleagues always joke that I need to hit the gym,” quipped one of the participants after finishing his first ever MMA class.
“They won’t let me live it down if I only do one, plus it was a lot of fun, so I’ll definitely be back.”
While organizers see the gym as a political project, simply offering an open, safe space where newcomers can drop by without having to worry about mingling with the extreme right is a victory for those who attend.
Edited by: Matt Pearson
May 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates teammates Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) and Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Tommy Troy (9) against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images Ketel Marte smacked a two-run homer, Ildemaro Vargas also drove two runs and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks made it five straight wins over the San Francisco Giants with a 7-5 victory on Tuesday.
Adrian Del Castillo chipped in with a homer and Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1) threw six effective innings for the Diamondbacks, who swept a three-game home series from the Giants last week and have now won the last two days in San Francisco.
Casey Schmitt, Eric Haase and Willy Adames homered for the Giants, who lost for the sixth time in their past eight games.
After the homer by Del Castillo and a pair of run-scoring infield outs from Vargas helped Arizona build a 4-2 lead, Marte produced the game’s biggest hit. He belted a two-run shot, his ninth homer of the year, off Erik Miller in the seventh inning.
Gabriel Moreno added an RBI single in the eighth to give the Arizona bullpen a 7-3 cushion before Rafael Devers’ run-scoring double got the Giants within three in the last of the eighth.
A two-out solo homer by Willy Adames, his seventh, narrowed the gap to 7-5 in the ninth before Paul Seward struck out Schmitt to shut the door and notch his 13th save.
Rodriguez was pulled with a 6-2 lead. He allowed two runs and six hits in six innings, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Giants starter Tyler Mahle (1-7) worked five innings, limiting the Diamondbacks to three runs and three hits. He walked three and struck out three. Del Castillo socked his fourth homer of the season for the Diamondbacks, who got hits from eight different players, runs from seven and RBIs from four.
Schmitt produced his 12th homer while Haase belted his third. They joined Adames with two hits apiece for the Giants, who out-hit the visitors 9-8.
–Field Level Media
CLEVELAND — Cavaliers guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden left Rocket Arena for the final time in the 2025-26 season on the same page and with a clearly stated desire to remain a backcourt tandem.
Changes are sure to materialize for the Cavs this offseason after their 4-0 flop in the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks. Although it’s possible Mitchell and Harden could be separated, they insisted they want their partnership to continue, and it’s considered the most likely outcome.
Advertisement
Both of them publicly defended coach Kenny Atkinson after Game 4 against the Knicks, and the Cavs are expected to retain Atkinson. Mitchell and Harden are also viewing the fourth-seeded Cavs’ sweep at the hands of the third-seeded Knicks through a similar lens.
Here are some key points from their media exit interviews on Monday, May 26:
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden want to remain a Cavs duo
Harden, 36, said the Cavs are a “very, very, very talented group.” He arrived in Cleveland in February, when the Cavs acquired him in a trade sending point guard Darius Garland, 26, to the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden and Mitchell presented arguments about the Cavs needing more time together to reach their potential.
Advertisement
“I have no doubt that this group can get there,” Mitchell said.
With Garland removed from the equation, Mitchell, Harden, forward Evan Mobley and center Jarrett Allen form Cleveland’s core. Mobley is under contract for four more seasons, and Allen is locked down for three more seasons.
Cavs column: Cavaliers season not a success despite how team may define it | Opinion
Feb 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (left) talks with teammate James Harden during a timeout against the Detroit Pistons in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Neither played in their overtime loss to the Pistons. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Mitchell and Harden are not secured for years to come, yet they spoke as if they intend to commit to the Cavs with new deals. Of course, the Cavs would also need to have an appetite to retain both players for such deals to materialize.
Advertisement
Mitchell is under contract for next season at $50.1 million, but he will become eligible to sign an extension on July 7. He has a player option for the 2027-28 season worth $53.8 million. Mitchell could sign a four-year, $272 million extension this summer or wait until next offseason and sign a five-year, $352 million deal.
“I love it here,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know how else to say it. I’ve said it before I signed the other extension [with the Cavs in July 2024]. I love it here.”
Cleveland Cavaliers news: Kenny Atkinson reportedly to remain Cavs coach. Big roster decisions remain
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the third quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Mitchell, 29, is a seven-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA player (second team this season, first team last season and second team in 2022-23).
Advertisement
Still, the Cavs must determine whether Mitchell can be the frontman on a championship team.
“I’m very, very confident, very confident,” Harden said of Mitchell’s ability to lead a franchise to a title. “This team is not even where we’re at without him. This is his first time making it to the conference finals, and I’m sure he wants to improve and do things so we can advance and get even further. I think as a team, we get better individually, and we let front office do what they do.”
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) controls the ball during the first half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena, May 25, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Harden has a player option on his contract for next season at $42.3 million, with only $13.3 million guaranteed. When the Cavs surrendered a player 10 years younger (Garland) for Harden and Harden agreed to come to Cleveland (he held veto power in any trade), the writing was on the wall for a longer-term commitment instead of a short-term rental.
Advertisement
“Yes, 100%. Definitely. Both,” Harden said when he was asked whether he wants to return to the Cavs and whether he expects to return to the Cavs.
Told what Harden said, Mitchell replied, “I would hope he wants to be back.”
With Harden aboard, the Cavs made the conference finals for the first time since 2018 and the first time since 1992 without LeBron James on their roster. Mitchell had qualified for the playoffs in each of his first eight NBA seasons, but he didn’t move past the second round and thereby reach the conference finals until his ninth season in 2025-26. Harden has been to the playoffs in each of his 17 NBA seasons. He has advanced to the NBA Finals once (2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder) but has never won a title.
“He’s helped this group and myself get to somewhere I’ve never been, and, with that being said, that’s with three months of work, three months of prep, three months of whatever,” Mitchell said. “Now we have a full summer of conversations, of film, of working out together, training camp. You have a whole year now, right?
Advertisement
“We have a whole year to kind of go over certain things and what we see, and that’s tough. You don’t always make moves at the deadlines statistically and kind of improve. A lot of championship teams don’t really do that. And for us to do that, it was impressive for sure, but ultimately it wasn’t enough, and he wants to get back to that mountaintop. I do. I want to get there for the first time. This group does, and what he’s been able to do, not just for me, but for this group, it’s special.”
Cavaliers guard James Harden is fouled by New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby during the first half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, May 25, 2026, in Cleveland.
Even after being swept by the New York Knicks, James Harden says he thinks the Cleveland Cavaliers ‘are the better team’
Mitchell and Harden are in lockstep about what went wrong for the Cavs against the Knicks.
Advertisement
Their explanation boils down to Cleveland failing to defeat the Toronto Raptors in the first round and the Detroit Pistons in the second round earlier than seven games. The Cavs won both series 4-3 and were running on fumes against the Knicks, who beat the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round and the Philadelphia 76ers in four games in the second round.
“All that compounds, so now we’re playing extra games and extra minutes, and now we go into a situation where we give up a 22-point lead [in Game 1 against the Knicks],” Harden said.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) makes a pass around a New York Knicks player during the first half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena, May 25, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio.
If your eyebrows were raised by Atkinson pointing out analytics showed the Cavs had won the expected score in two of the first three games against the Knicks, wait until you get a load of Harden’s perspective.
Advertisement
“Obviously, they dominated us 4-0,” Harden said of the Knicks. “…I do feel like we are the better team, but series-wise, it didn’t show.
“I feel like we didn’t have a fair chance, honestly. We didn’t play not one, a quarter of just Cavs basketball, like, offensively.
“We had unlimited open looks, and we just didn’t make them. And they made them. If we make shots, then this is a completely different series. If they miss shots, it’s a completely different series. But they made them.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on against the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Anyone who has ever attempted to shoot a basketball in a competitive setting knows fatigue can cause heavy legs to affect shooting.
Advertisement
“Y’all asked me a thousand times if we were tired,” Mitchell said. “I can’t tell you yes, but, I mean, we did this to ourselves, and that’s not an excuse. [The Knicks are] a hungry team. They beat us, swept us. So, I don’t want to diminish that, but we didn’t give ourselves a chance because we didn’t handle business [earlier in the first two rounds]. I told the guys in the locker room, I said, ‘Now we know.’ For a lot of us, we’ve never been here. You can’t play with your food. We had an opportunity to close both series [earlier in Rounds 1 and 2] and give ourselves some rest.
“We had an opportunity in Game 1 [against the Knicks] and then we blew that [22-point lead in the fourth quarter]. So, the two series before, having to go seven [games] — and it’s our fault — we did that to ourselves. And that puts you in a tough position against a team that’s not only been to the conference finals, knows what that takes, but also has the rest.”
It all led to the Knicks and thousands of their fans celebrating in Cleveland.
“You’ve got to own it,” Mitchell said. “It’s what happened. But what are you going to do about it? How are you going to respond? I’ve been saying this all year: How are we going to respond? And I would say our response from last season was pretty good. Can we do it again? I have no doubt we will.”
Advertisement
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Donovan Mitchell, James Harden envision Cavs partnership continuing
May 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) runs after hitting a single during the third inning Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Mookie Betts and Andy Pages combined for three home runs while thriving from new spots in the batting order as the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 15-6 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.
Betts homered twice while Pages, Enrique Hernandez and Will Smith also went deep as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to four games and won for the 11th time in 13 contests.
Left-hander Eric Lauer (2-5) went six strong innings in his Dodgers debut. He gave up one run on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Starting in the cleanup spot for the first time since 2017, Betts homered in the first inning and had his first multi-homer game since May 19, 2025. He finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs.
Pages, moved up to the No. 2 spot for the first time this season, tied his career high with four hits.
Hunter Goodman, Brett Sullivan and Kyle Karros hit home runs for the Rockies. Left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-6) gave up season highs of eight hits and nine runs over four innings. He struck out four without issuing a walk.
Colorado lost its fourth consecutive game and fell for the seventh time in the past eight contests.
The Dodgers jumped in front 2-0 in the first inning when Betts hit a home run to center off Freeland. Goodman pulled a run back for the Rockies in the second with a leadoff home run to center.
The Dodgers began to distance themselves in the third when Hernandez hit a leadoff home run and Pages went deep two batters later for a 4-1 lead. Hernandez was playing in his second game of the season after returning Monday from offseason elbow surgery, but he left the Tuesday game after the fourth inning because of a strained left oblique.
The Dodgers scored four more times in the fourth when Miguel Rojas came home on a wild pitch, Pages hit a two-run double and Freddie Freeman hit a sacrifice fly. Rojas (double) and Hyeseong Kim (sacrifice fly) brought home runs in the fifth.
Betts added a two-run homer and Smith delivered a three-run shot in the sixth for Los Angeles, which tied its season highs for runs and hits (17). Sullivan and Karros hit home runs in the Rockies’ five-run ninth against Rojas, who moved to the mound from third base.
–Field Level Media
LAS VEGAS – Five minutes into Game 4, the whole Colorado Avalanche season flickered in front of the hockey world like a loose puck on bad ice.
Cale Makar, of all people, appeared to be sprung in alone – the exact guy you’d script for the moment. But Nathan MacKinnon’s neutral‑zone feed was a touch off. Makar reached, lunged, stabbed… and watched it skitter off his stick and into the corner.
That was the Avs’ playoffs in one misfire.
Brayden McNabb, from the top of his own circle, launched a perfect Hail Mary flip over two lines – a moonshot that seemed to scrape the rafters at T-Mobile Arena – that Mark Stone gloved down at the opposing blue line while in full stride. Stone walked in alone, froze Mackenzie Blackwood with a backhand to forehand deke, and tucked it home.
One team’s near‑miss. The other’s dagger.
A microcosm of a sweep no one saw coming, and one the heavily favoured Presidents’ Trophy winners will be chewing on all summer.
Colorado wasn’t miles off. They were inches off. Half‑steps off. A hair late, a shade wide, a touch hesitant. And against a Vegas team that’s bigger, deeper, hungrier, and cleaner than they’ve ever been, those tiny gaps became the difference.
Every game, the Golden Knights found the extra goal, the extra save.
If either MacKinnon or Makar were anywhere close to healthy, you wonder if that opening‑minute pass connects and Makar finishes. But we’ll never know. Stone’s early strike wasn’t just a goal, it was the beginning of the end.
A season of wire‑to‑wire domination ended with a footnote: the most shocking sweep since John Tortorella’s Blue Jackets toppled Tampa in 2019.
Logan O’Connor said he felt humiliated.
“We found ways to lose hockey games,” said captain Gabe Landeskog.
“I think the course of the regular season, and in the first two rounds, it was the opposite. At times I thought we deserved better, but they’re a good hockey team. They’re desperate and played hard.”
After losing just one of their first nine playoff games, the Avs ran into a team now on a 19‑4‑1 heater since Tortorella arrived and famously vowed to “stay out of the way.”
At the coach’s insistence, Vegas didn’t just clog lanes, they erased them. Colorado couldn’t get shots through, couldn’t get bodies to the net, couldn’t get Vegas scrambling. And when they finally did? Carter Hart swallowed everything like a Roomba with fresh batteries.
After Stone’s opener, the rest felt like a long, slow death march. While playing a smothering defence, Vegas actually had 22 of the game’s 31 high‑danger chances.
Their best game of the series.
In the third, the Knights mucked it up, allowed just seven shots, and added an insurance marker from Cole Smith with six minutes left.
Landeskog’s goal with two minutes left made it 2–1 and silenced a raucous Fortress. Briefly. But as the Avs’ last‑minute push fizzled, the crowd went bonkers.
As part of the on-ice celly, as they prepped to bring out the Clarence Campbell Bowl, Mitch Marner turned to no one in particular and screamed up at the heavens. The crowd ate it up.
“A special moment,” said the Conn Smythe frontrunner who has flipped the narrative on his perennial springtime blues.
“There’s been some dark times in hockey for myself, honestly. Thankful for my family, my brother, my mom and dad, my wife, all my friends around me. That was a moment to express some joy and some fun there. I’ll enjoy it for the night and be ready to go to work.”
MacKenzie Blackwood’s first appearance of the series made you wonder if Colorado could’ve stolen one earlier with him in net. But there’s no more wondering anymore.
When MacKinnon said before the series that it would go seven, we thought he was being generous. No one saw it ending this way.
MacKinnon didn’t make himself available afterwards. Team personnel said he was getting treatment.
Asked about the injury that kept him out of the first two games of the series, Makar was straight class.
“I’m not, I’m not the type of guy to talk about that,” he said.
“I did everything I can to feel good and come back and feel confident in my play, and felt 100 per cent out there.”
Cue debates over Jared Bednar’s future, and rumours swirling around GM Chris MacFarland leaving for Nashville.
None of that changes the truth: the Avs were a half‑step behind a Vegas team now heading to its third Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons.
The Avs weren’t blown out. They weren’t embarrassed. They were simply beaten by a team that executed every little thing a tiny bit better. And in the playoffs, the little things aren’t little. They’re everything.
Sports
Watch: World champion D Gukesh fails to open water bottle at Norway Chess, puts it back after epic struggle | Chess News
NEW DELHI: World champion D Gukesh on Wednesday had an unintentionally funny moment during the Norway Chess tournament that quickly caught fans’ attention online. In the middle of his tense Round 2 clash against Wesley So, the young Indian grandmaster appeared to need a quick water break. But things did not go as planned.Sitting deep in thought during the game, Gukesh reached for a bottle placed beside the board and tried opening it. After struggling with the cap for a few seconds and failing to get it open, the 19-year-old quietly gave up and placed the bottle back on the table, leading to a hilarious viral clip that spread rapidly across social media.Watch:The light-hearted moment came during an otherwise frustrating day for the reigning world champion.Gukesh had looked in control for large parts of his classical game against So, pressing hard across a marathon 116-move battle. The Indian prodigy seemed close to converting his advantage into a full win before So managed to escape with a draw.The game then moved into Armageddon, where So completely turned the tables. The American outplayed Gukesh in the tie-breaker to secure 1.5 points, while Gukesh had to settle for one point after a mentally draining encounter.The defeat visibly upset the Indian teenager, who struggled to hide his frustration during post-match broadcast duties. To make matters tougher, So later questioned whether Gukesh’s current rating accurately reflected his strength.Elsewhere, Alireza Firouzja continued his brilliant run by defeating R Praggnanandhaa despite battling an ankle injury and using crutches around the venue. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen also survived a scare against Germany’s Vincent Keymer before finally clinching his first victory of the tournament through Armageddon.READ ALSO: Norway Chess: Divya Deshmukh pips India No. 1 Koneru Humpy in Armageddon; no joy for Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa
SpaceX’s $2 Trillion IPO: Why Tech Giants Nvidia (NVDA), Apple (AAPL), and Microsoft (MSFT) May Face Pressure
Emmy-Winning Writer Tried Saving Star Wars With The Most Hated Character
Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Nika Top
-
Crypto World6 days agoBlockchain.com files with SEC for U.S. IPO
-
Fashion5 days agoHoliday Weekend Open Thread – Corporette.com
-
Crypto World5 days agoBitcoin Accumulation Weakens as BTC Realized Losses Hit $600M
-
Business5 days agoDell Technologies DELL Stock Surges 15% on AI Server Momentum and Analyst Upgrades in 2026
-
Crypto World4 days agoRobinhood crypto COO Tanya Denisova exits
-
Politics5 days agoMakerfield: a tale of two social-media histories
-
Crypto World5 days agoSpace X IPO Is ‘Bad News’ for Tech Stocks: But What About Bitcoin?
-
Business3 days agoNYT Strands Answers May 24 2026 Revealed for Puzzle No. 812 Theme Summer Essentials
-
Tech2 days agoMicrosoft’s quiet Claude Code retreat and the real cost of enterprise AI
-
Crypto World5 days agoMicroStrategy’s Saylor Says Miners No Longer Set Bitcoin Price, Another Force Has Taken Over
-
Tech6 days agoWhatsApp ads could make Irish debut after discussions with DPC
-
Crypto World5 days agoAI infrastructure race heats up as IREN pitches full-stack strategy, WhiteFiber lands $160M deal
-
NewsBeat6 days agoCharity run by Reform leader Malcolm Offord accused of ‘law breaking’ over Scottish registration
-
Tech5 days agoA 0.12% parameter add-on gives AI agents the working memory RAG can’t
-
Crypto World2 days agoNvidia (NVDA) CEO Calls on Super Micro to Strengthen Export Controls Amid Smuggling Probe
-
Tech5 days agoYou Can Now Add ChatGPT To PowerPoint
-
Tech2 days agoWestone Audio and Etymotic Acquired by Fidelity Collective in Major IEM Market Move
-
Business5 days agoTrump Invests $1M-$5M in Kura Sushi USA Chain With 27 California Locations
-
Sports5 days ago2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson leaderboard: Brooks Koepka finds putting stroke in Round 1
-
Crypto World7 days agoExa Labs raises $250 million in funding led by a16z
You must be logged in to post a comment Login