: Head coach Charles Lee of the Charlotte Hornets looks on in the first half against the Miami Heat during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images/AFP
CHARLOTTE, N.C.— The Charlotte Hornets gave head coach Charles Lee a contract extension on Thursday following an NBA season in which the team improved its win total by 25 games.
Details of Lee’s new deal was not released by the team.
“Charles has done an outstanding job establishing a foundation for who we want to be as a team,” Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said. “From Day One, Charles and his staff have prioritized player development, creating an environment where each of our players are committed to getting better and continue to improve.”
After winning 19 games in Lee’s first season with the team, the Hornets got hot late in the season and rallied to win 44 games before falling to the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament.
The 25-win improvement over his first season represented the largest year-over-year win total improvement in franchise history.
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“I’m excited about the direction we’re headed and our team’s bright future,” Lee said. “Our players have shown a real commitment to growth, and I’m proud of the culture we’re establishing together.”
Lee’s next goal is to snap the Hornets’ 11-year playoff drought, the longest in the NBA.
After starting the season 16-28, the Hornets finished strong with a 28-10 record, and rookie Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball finished 1-2 in the league in 3-pointers made.
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Under Lee, the Hornets had the No. 1 net rating (+10.5) in the NBA from Jan. 1 until the end of the regular season, ranking atop the league in offensive rating (120.7) and fifth in defensive rating (110.2).
Charlotte led the league in rebounding percentage (54.8%), second-chance points (19.0) and 3-pointers made per game (17.3) since Jan 1 and went on to beat Miami in the play-in tournament for its first postseason win since 2016 in the No. 9 seed vs. No. 10 seed play-in game.
The Hornets finished January with an 11-6 record and tied for the highest point differential on the road (+151) in any month in NBA history, earning Lee the award for Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.
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Charlotte also set a franchise record with 10 straight road wins and tied an NBA single-season record with eight road wins by 25-plus points.
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Lee previously served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons with Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. He won NBA championships with the Celtics (2023-24) and the Bucks (2020-21).
Queensland Derby victor Maison Louis notched his finest spring result at his second race back from rest, as trainer Tom Charlton anticipates a matching display from the four-year-old venturing to Gosford.
The gelding lines up in Saturday’s Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) coming off a notable reappearance, where he surged late for sixth place to Hellsing over the non-preferred 1500m at Randwick.
Charlton viewed this as the ideal first-up effort from the gelding, especially after a variable spring season.
“He couldn’t have done any more. He looks to have come back well,” Charlton said of the first-up run.
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“He ran third in the Hill Stakes second-up last prep, which is a strong weight-for-age race, so if he can replicate that he will run well.
“He let himself down a bit pre-race last preparation, so we’re just trying to build a bit of confidence for him and get him back in his groove.”
With five scratches at the start, Maison Louis landed in stall 11, and though Charlton isn’t fully sold on the compact Gosford track, he doesn’t anticipate problems.
“He is short-coupled and hasn’t got a great, big action,” he said.
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“He’s got a turn of foot for a horse over that trip, so I think he will be fine.”
Without a set itinerary for Maison Louis, Charlton indicates the outcome at Gosford will guide decisions, eyeing races in Sydney or Brisbane such as The Q22 (2200m) on June 13 at Eagle Farm.
Maison Louis was at $8 for Friday’s Gosford Cup betting, behind Matt Smith-trained favourite Portland at $5.50.
Prince Yadav announced himself on the big stage with a sensational spell for Lucknow Super Giants against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026, earning massive praise from former India batter Ambati Rayudu after delivering what many are calling the “ball of the tournament.”Playing in a rain-shortened 19-over clash at the Ekana Stadium, Prince produced a peach of a delivery to dismiss Virat Kohli for a duck during RCB’s chase. Bowling at 140.4 kph, the young pacer delivered a sharp nip-backer that jagged in viciously after pitching, swung more than 1.4 degrees, pierced the tiny gap between bat and pad, and crashed into the off stump. Kohli was left stunned as the LSG players erupted in celebration.The wicket carried extra significance. It marked Kohli’s first IPL duck since 2023 and his first zero while chasing in nine years. The last time he had fallen for a duck in a chase came during RCB’s infamous collapse to 49 all out against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in 2017.Prince didn’t stop there. He finished with outstanding figures of 3/33, playing a crucial role in LSG’s nine-run DLS victory that kept their playoff hopes alive.
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All is not well with Suryakumar Yadav’s wrist? | Exclusive visuals
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, Rayudu was full of admiration for the young fast bowler.”A lot of bowlers bowl one or two good balls in an over. This guy bowls about four to five. That’s his strength, I don’t think any batsman in the world can play that,” Rayudu said.Rayudu further backed Prince for higher honours, saying the pacer has the qualities to succeed across formats.“I think he’ll be a treat to stand [to] in the slips. Seriously, to watch this guy bowl – unbelievable. It’ll be a total pleasure to stand in first or second slip to him. He is a potential 50-over bowler as well. I think he’s an all-format bowler, the way he’s looking right now” Rayudu added.Former New Zealand cricketer Katey Martin was equally impressed and described the delivery to Kohli as the perfect fast bowler’s dream.“You have to see that as the ball of the tournament. Not just because of the way he was able to swing late as well, back into the stumps, top of off, effectively, your perfect delivery and maybe something that Prince Yadav dreams of. Of that particular delivery, especially to Virat Kohli, who we thought was going to be a really key factor in that chase as well” she said.Rayudu also highlighted how enjoyable Prince would be to field behind in the slips due to his ability to consistently beat the bat.“I think he’ll be a treat to stand to in the slips. Seriously, to watch this guy bowl, unbelievable. He is a potential 50-over bowler as well. I think he’s an all-format bowler.”
BTS’ Taehyung made headlines once again after he appeared with fellow members at the National Palace of Mexico City on May 6, 2026. Clips taken by fans who had gathered outside the building that day rapidly circulated online.
One particular video grabbed ARMY’s attention, where the 30-year-old idol was seen assisting Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, with the mic. The fandom went on various social sites to commend Taehyung for his chivalrous actions and for being respectful around women.
One fan raved over the viral clip and wrote on X:
“A GENTLEMAN THROUGH AND THROUGH.”
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Many fans remarked how the K-pop idol was previously spotted being a complete gentleman with women around him. His thoughtful gestures to make the president comfortable while delivering her speech won over the fandom once again. Some pointed out how Taehyung even had an old-school charm about him.
@tetesjaan Claudia was soo happy and comfortable around all of them and especially Taehyung🥹. WE STAN RIGHT PEOPLE GUYS
@tetesjaan This young man can charm anyone, anywhere. He has the charm of a man from 1940 🐻💜🫰
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@tetesjaan Gentle, respectful, thoughtful, Kim Taehyung truly is a gentleman among boys.
Fans posted older pictures of the idol with influential figures like the former editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. She had personally invited him to the Vogue World event in 2025. They also praised his willingness to honor every culture while trying to speak different languages in the countries they visit.
@euphorikth @borahaestarrr President, pop queen, fashion queen & ceo all adored Tae so much🥰🥰🥰 How will anyone not love & adore this kind hearted prince 🥰 Taehyung has borne to be loved 😍
You can truly see how beautifully Taehyung was raised by his grandmother and parents, he carries himself with so much respect, kindness, and natural awareness around women. It reflects strongly in his manners and the way he treats people with genuine warmth.
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Just noticed Taehyung used both his hands to shake the president’s hands. In Korean culture this is done as a gesture of respect and honor
TAEHYUNG’S DEEP VOICE SPEAKING IN SPANISH… HE REALLY STUDY FOR THAT PRONUNCIATION
50k people gather outside Mexico City’s National Palace for BTS as Taehyung delivers a speech in Spanish
It was a memorable day for the fandom as the boy group amassed a crowd of estimated 50,000 people on short notice outside the National Palace. Some of the members took turns to address the crowd, with Taehyung opting to speak in Spanish.
He started by acknowledging that he doesn’t speak the language well, but he is still going to try. Then the singer asked his fans if they missed BTS, to which the crowd responded with loud cheers. He added that they missed Mexico as well and thanked the fans for giving them love and support.
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Crowd gathers outside Mexico City’s National Palace for BTS (Image via X/@Claudiashein)
Meanwhile, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo shared a picture of the massive crowd outside the government building on X and captioned:
“With a beautiful simplicity, BTS greeted their A.R.M.Y and nearly 50,000 people who gathered in the zócalo to welcome them. It brings me great joy to have been able to give them this moment of jubilation. The group conveys positive messages in their songs that foster a culture of peace and inclusion.”
The septet is all set to perform at the Estadio GNP Seguros across three dates. The tickets for their shows on May 7, May 9 and May 10, 2026, have reportedly sold out.
Nigerian music star Burna Boy is set to appear on one of football’s biggest global stages after joining Colombian pop star Shakira on the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Shakira on Thursday shared short clips of the new World Cup anthem titled Dai Dai, with the full song expected to be released on May 14 ahead of the tournament.
The expanded competition will be hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
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The teaser video, shared on Instagram from the Maracanã Stadium, showed Shakira and Burna Boy performing with dancers wearing the colours of countries taking part in the tournament.
For Nigerian fans, Burna Boy’s role in the project is another major achievement for Afrobeats and a sign of Nigeria’s growing influence in global entertainment. The Grammy-winning singer is now among the few Nigerians to take part in FIFA World Cup music projects.
The video also honoured previous World Cups by showing official match balls used during the 2006, 2010 and 2014 tournaments, all competitions linked to Shakira’s famous World Cup performances.
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Shakira’s 2010 World Cup song, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), remains one of football’s most popular anthems, especially in Africa, where it became strongly connected with the first World Cup hosted on the continent in South Africa.
The Colombian singer also performed Hips Don’t Lie during activities at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and La La La (Brazil 2014) at the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
With Burna Boy now joining the World Cup music tradition, Nigerian football and entertainment fans will hope the collaboration becomes another worldwide success.
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan believes the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) duo of Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar could have attacked more in the powerplay of the IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 7. Chasing 213 in 19 overs for victory, RCB lost their openers inside the first two overs with the score on only nine.
As a result, Padikkal and Patidar played it safe in the rest of the powerplay, reaching only 40 after 5.4 overs. Despite upping the ante in the rest of the run chase, RCB suffered a nine-run defeat.
Talking about RCB’s run-chase in the loss to LSG, Zaheer said on Cricbuzz (2:45):
“With the kind of form Padikkal and Patidar are in, they could have done better in the powerplay. Because once you have such a powerplay, you are always behind in the run chase. They tried to catch up but they were always behind by 10 or 15 runs. But everything has to go your way once you are so much behind.”
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He added:
“Wickets in the powerplay made the difference. It usually makes a difference of 10 to 15 runs. And the final margin of this match is a reminder of that. On the other hand, LSG lost no wickets with Mitchell Marsh playing brilliantly. That was the difference. That powerplay was a must for LSG to have the belief that they can win. You look at the final margin of nine runs and RCB’s powerplay with the bat, and that’s the game right there.”
While Padikkal fell for 34 off 25 balls, Patidar overcame a slow start to finish with 61 off 31 deliveries.
“The right call was made” – Zaheer Khan on Digvesh Rathi bowling the final over
Zaheer Khan backed LSG skipper Rishabh Pant for trusting leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi to bowl the last over with RCB needing 20 runs to win. The 26-year-old had conceded 41 off his first three overs but came up trumps under pressure, giving away only nine runs off the final over.
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“Though Shahbaz was having a good day and Digvesh a bad day, the right call was made. If he gets it right, it’s not easy to hit Digvesh consistently. It’s not easy for him to go for a 20-run over. 20 was a good cushion for him to bowl. Romario is also a designated finisher, so he usually bats against the seamers,” said Zaheer (via the aforementioned source).
The win helped LSG keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a third victory in 10 outings.
After last week’s thrilling nine-goal clash in Paris, Bayern Munich and PSG meet again with a place in the Champions League final—where Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal await, on the line.
PSG head into the second leg with a narrow edge following their 5-4 win, though they may regret allowing the Bundesliga champions back into the contest after building a three-goal lead.
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Both teams come into this encounter after settling for home draws in their respective leagues over the weekend, with several key players rested in preparation for the decisive showdown at the Allianz Arena. Bayern, under Vincent Kompany, boast a perfect home record in this season’s Champions League and will need to maintain that form if they are to reach their first final since their 2020 triumph
UCL 2026 S/F 2nd Leg: Bayern vs PSG team news
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Bayern team news:
Vincent Kompany is expected to stick with the same starting XI that featured in last week’s clash in Paris. Harry Kane will spearhead the attack, aiming to find the net for the seventh straight Champions League match. Meanwhile, young prospect Lennart Karl could return to the squad as he nears full recovery from a thigh issue.
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PSG team news:
During last week’s high-scoring encounter, Achraf Hakimi was forced off with a thigh problem and will miss this match. Warren Zaire-Emery is expected to fill in at full-back again, just as he did in the first leg. As a result, Fabian Ruiz is likely to return to the starting lineup, reuniting last season’s successful midfield trio.
Strasbourg suffered another defeat in the Europa Conference League semi-finals against Rayo Vallecano, bringing their European run to an end. The team were completely outclassed and had no answers. Rayo Vallecano will now face Crystal Palace in the final.
With just a few days to go before the Clasico against FC Barcelona, Real Madrid continue to sink deeper into crisis. The Madrid team, already struggling on the pitch, is also riven by internal disputes. Following an altercation with a teammate, Uruguayan captain Federico Valverde was hospitalised with a head injury and will require 10–14 days’ rest, according to the club. The midfielder explained on social media that ‘the fatigue of the competition and frustration caused the situation to escalate’.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Getting a rare one-on-one look, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander quickly took advantage of the breathing room. He shouldered through Luke Kennard before he went with a patented stepback 3-pointer. Swish. The reigning MVP performed his signature celebration as he served the dagger.
The Oklahoma City Thunder once again pulled away late in their 125-107 Game 2 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Following the same script, they’ve built up a 2-0 series lead.
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If Game 1 was the most stressful 18-point playoff win ever, Game 2 was the most adventurous iteration. In a game that flirted with three hours, the Thunder looked like they were on the cusp of their first playoff letdown before eventually flipping the switch — all without Gilgeous-Alexander.
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To start, it was the Thunder’s turn to rattle off the first seven points. Eventually, the Lakers settled down. Once again, they went with their radical game plan on blitzing Gilgeous-Alexander as soon as the ball was in his hands. He had to spam the L1 button on his controller every time to pass it out to an open teammate.
The Lakers welcomed that. Off to a cold start from deep, the Thunder had a 27-23 lead after the first quarter. It felt like it should’ve been more, though. Some classic leaving meat on the bone. The second frame seesawed things toward Los Angeles‘ favor. Specifically, the outside shot.
Austin Reaves finally looked like the 20-point scorer he usually is. Rui Hachimura couldn’t miss from the outside. The Thunder had 30 points in the second quarter, but it was negated with the Lakers’ sizzling offense. The former entered halftime in a rare 58-57 deficit.
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This was the first time the Thunder had faced adversity in the NBA playoffs. They’re the last team to proudly say they’ve yet to taste a postseason loss. To start the second half, the Denver Game 1 vibes only grew. Early on, Gilgeous-Alexander received a flagrant foul. He grabbed Reaves’ arm as he tried to stick to him.
Not even two minutes into the second half, Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul. Uh oh. The Lakers grabbed a 66-61 lead. It felt like things were about to unravel for the Thunder. Not having the reigning MVP is a death sentence for most teams. But OKC has morphed into an NBA win machine. That includes finding ways to win the minutes he’s off the floor.
Fueled by Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain, the Thunder went on a game-altering 22-5 run. What a response. The Thunder bench reserves rallied back and built up momentum without a hitch. All while missing two All-NBA talents. You just don’t see that happen in any era of the NBA. But OKC has found ways to flex its depth at the biggest stage.
At the peak of OKC’s crowd noise, Jaylin Williams completed a big-time four-point play. Part of their third-quarter run, the Lakers had no answers. Without Gilgeous-Alexander for 10-plus minutes, the Thunder scored 36 points in the third frame. They had a 93-80 lead over Los Angeles.
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Because of foul trouble, Gilgeous-Alexander’s usual rotation pattern was thrown out of whack. He helped the Thunder keep their distance on the scoreboard. After Reaves swiped at him to stop a transition bucket, the OKC crowd voiced their vitriol towards this officiating crew. One review after another, their support rate plummeted through the floor.
Alas, the extra officiating theatrics were all for naught. After the Lakers got it to within five points, the Thunder pulled away late. Alex Caruso found Cason Wallace for a corner 3-pointer. Gilgeous-Alexander finally got in a scoring groove and salvaged a subpar Game 2.
The Thunder had 32 points in the fourth quarter. They led by as many as 20 points. After it looked like most of the night that this would come down to the final possessions, they somehow cruised to another double-digit point NBA playoff victory. Ho-hum. Just business as usual for the NBA’s latest pending dynasty.
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The Thunder shot 56% from the field and went 14-of-36 (38.9%) from 3. They shot 21-of-26 on free throws. They had 26 assists on 45 baskets. Six Thunder players scored double-digit points.
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Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points amid foul trouble. Chet Holmgren finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. Mitchell tallied 20 points and six assists. McCain dropped 18 points. Wallace had 12 points and four assists. Isaiah Hartenstein finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Lakers shot 50% from the field and went 11-of-29 (37.9%) from 3. They shot 18-of-21 on free throws. They had 24 assists on 39 baskets. Five Lakers players scored double-digit points.
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LeBron James had 23 points and six assists. Reaves finished with 31 points and six assists. Hachimura had 16 points and four rebounds. Marcus Smart struggled with 14 points and five assists. Kennard scored 10 points off the bench.
Already housing one Larry O’Brien trophy, we’re seeing the Thunder grow up in front of our eyes. Amazing the type of runway you have with one of the NBA’s youngest rosters. Even with two bad outings by Gilgeous-Alexander, everybody else has pitched in to make up the difference. These were textbook, well-rounded team wins where everybody had a moment or two.
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The scary part is that the Thunder could play so much better. On offense, Gilgeous-Alexander has room to improve as an efficient 30-point machine. On defense, the Lakers were dead even with you through most offensive stats and it barely left a dent in OKC’s armor. We’ll see how this series changes as it shifts to Los Angeles, but it’s so far gone chalk.
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Let’s look at Thunder player grades:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: C-plus
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives down the court against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Tangled together at Gilgeous-Alexander’s midsection, Reaves’ gluey defense turned consequential. Not even two minutes into the second half, the reigning MVP’s nightmare start escalated into a bleak reality. Hoping to create separation, he accidentally flung the Los Angeles defender’s arms across.
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After a lengthy review, Gilgeous-Alexander was handed an ultra-rare flagrant foul. To make matters worse, it was his fourth foul. Uh oh. Instead of panicking, the Thunder didn’t let the potential game-defining moment boil into frustration. They survived another meh game by their best player.
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Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting, two assists and two rebounds. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and went 7-of-9 on free throws. He also had one steal.
You gotta give the Lakers credit, they’ve somehow Frankenstein’d a defensive gameplan to make Gilgeous-Alexander look like his 2020 form. Blitzing him every time he had the ball, he’s seldom had time to think — much less space to hunt an isolation look.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 1 struggles translated over to Game 2. To make matters worse, he couldn’t stop committing costly fouls. Frozen at 11 points in the first half, he missed most of the third quarter due to foul trouble. Disastrous. Any other NBA contender would’ve folded under similar circumstances without their MVP candidate. Instead, OKC shrugged its shoulders and moved forward with a new formula for success.
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Eventually, Gilgeous-Alexander salvaged some of his night. He scored nine points in the fourth quarter. Finally, he got to the rim and finished through traffic. He added an outside jumper for extra flair. The Lakers couldn’t find a counter to his one-on-one scoring talent as they quickly fell behind on the scoreboard.
I keep saying the Thunder need Gilgeous-Alexander to play a lot better, but two 18-point wins over the Lakers prove otherwise. It kinda breaks your brain and forces you to rethink some of basketball’s rules of thumb. I think things will normalize in Los Angeles. On the road, OKC will surely need the probable back-to-back MVP winner to play like it.
Chet Holmgren: A
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) dunks against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Boxing out Reaves, Holmgren grabbed an important offensive rebound. He quickly went up for the putback layup. With three minutes to go, that zapped away any optimism from Los Angeles’ side of an improbable comeback fit for a Hallmark movie.
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Holmgren finished with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists. He shot 3-of-5 from 3 and went 5-of-7 on free throws. He also had four steals and two blocks.
Once again, Holmgren added to his NBA playoff mythos. When things looked like they were about to go sideways for the Thunder, he settled them down. The All-Star has played his best postseason hoops since he joined OKC. While Gilgeous-Alexander was sidelined with foul trouble, he anchored the second-unit lineup to blow this game open.
On offense, it was much of the same. A lot of meat and potatoes. Throwing multiple defenders at Gilgeous-Alexander, the Lakers conceded the numbers game. That allowed Holmgren to be left open around the rim. This helped him get plenty of dunks and layups. He had 16 points in the second half as he amped up his scoring aggression.
The outside jumper was also on point. That’s another marker of how much better he’s looked in these NBA playoffs compared to the last two. Holmgren has turned into a weapon from deep. In the last couple of runs, his outside shot tailed off as the Thunder played deeper into the postseason. Not this time.
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On defense, Holmgren remains one of a kind. There’s a reason why he finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. The Lakers had better success inside the paint, but the seven-footer came up with timely stops to help the Thunder avalanche the scoreboard.
The Thunder have won two NBA playoff games despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s below-average numbers. Don’t think you could’ve said that much these last two years. Even with nearly impeccable roster continuity, they’ve discovered new ways to get wins. Holmgren’s breakout as an All-NBA-esque talent is the biggest development for that.
Ajay Mitchell: A-plus
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) drives between Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) and forward LeBron James (23) in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Driving with ferocity, Mitchell went straight at the teeth of Los Angeles’ defenses. Nobody from their side could deter the 23-year-old from getting to the rim. He bumper-car’d into Adou Thiero before he went up-and-under for the circus and-one layup.
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Mitchell finished with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, six assists and three rebounds. He shot 0-of-3 from 3 and went 6-of-7 on free throws.
The Thunder keep adding more to Mitchell’s plate. And the 23-year-old continues to lick his plate clean. At the game’s highest stage, he’s morphed into OKC’s second-best player. Out of necessity — as Jalen Williams remains out and Gilgeous-Alexander turned ineffective.
It was the usual shot diet for the drive-heavy scorer. Battered and bruised, Mitchell didn’t let any physical ailments discourage him. He went headfirst at the basket like a running back. Nobody from the Lakers could stop him from going downhill. Once he saw a few go in, he felt confident enough to knock down some tough pull-up jumpers.
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Overcoming Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul trouble, Mitchell scored 18 points in the middle quarters. The Lakers were shell-shocked. Usually, if you take the opposition’s best player off the floor, you see some sorta dip. Nope. The Thunder have actually run away on the scoreboard these first two games when the reigning MVP was chilling on the bench. Talk about a real brain-buster.
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Oh, where would the Thunder be without Mitchell? He’s turned Williams’ absence into a fun fact more than a season-ender. Thrown to the deep end of the pool all year, he continues to calmly swim. His ascension has completely changed OKC’s dynamics — and for the better, obviously.
Jared McCain: A-plus
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) shoots a three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Clapping his hands for the ball, McCain stumbled his way to the rim. The 22-year-old showed he’s more than just a jump-shooter. He went with the fancy reverse layup to avoid Deandre Ayton‘s rim contest. The baseline drive showed how much he was feeling himself after a flurry of buckets.
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McCain finished with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He also shot 4-of-5 from 3.
Pure buckets. That’s McCain’s motto. Desperately needing to keep up with the Lakers’ high-scoring offense, he provided a charge off the bench. In his first NBA playoff run, he’s shown he’s not afraid of the moment. His motor helped him constantly move off-ball. That opened up looks for him from beyond the perimeter and at the mid-range.
Needing offense without Gilgeous-Alexander, McCain scored 13 points in the second half. The Thunder’s only roster change from last year’s championship squad has usurped Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins as OKC’s designated bench bucket-getter. It’s easy to see why, too. He’s been your classic scoring punch off the bench.
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What a get McCain has been since the Thunder acquired him at the NBA trade deadline. Understandably so, playoff expectations were pretty low for him. Most viewed his addition as a long-term play by OKC. Instead, he’s helped out right away. And is now helping them get gutsy playoff wins.
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What a story he’s been as Philadelphia 76ers fans have turned into Hulk-level anger. You can’t go one Thunder playoff game without seeing your social media timeline filled with folks across the NBA-sphere wondering why they gifted the reigning NBA champions duct tape to patch one of their few roster weakpoints.
Cason Wallace: B
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) shoots a three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
After winning a chaotic jumpball, Wallace camped at the corner. Eventually, Caruso found him after splitting a pair of Los Angeles defenders. The 22-year-old delivered the knockout blow as he swished in a corner 3-pointer. He turned to the crowd on the way back and went with his gun holster celebration.
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Wallace finished with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, four assists and two rebounds. He shot 2-of-3 from 3 and went 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had one steal and one block.
Making up for Gilgeous-Alexander’s limited action, Wallace joined in on the fun. He scored eight points in the fourth quarter to help put the Lakers away. That included two big-time outside jumpers. The Thunder showed that they can win in a multitude of ways. One being with their role players enjoying hot shooting nights.
Wallace’s performance flew under the radar, but he added to the bevy of Thunder players who reached double-digit points. On defense, they’ll need to watch film on what Reaves did differently. For the first time in two years, he finally looked like his borderline All-Star self. OKC has to shut that off as the Round 2 series moves to Los Angeles.
The Calgary Stampeders signed quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to a two-year extension Thursday that will keep him with the club through the 2028 CFL season.
Adams, acquired in a trade from the B.C. Lions after the 2024 campaign, went 11-6 as a starter in his first season with Calgary.
The 33-year-old threw for 4,247 yards with 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions over 17 regular-season games last year.
He also rushed for 332 yards and two touchdowns while adding two two-point conversions on the ground.
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In the Western semifinal, Adams completed 23 of 33 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns in Calgary’s 33-30 loss to the Lions.
Adams has passed for 20,437 yards and 117 touchdowns across nine seasons with the Montreal Alouettes, Lions and Stampeders.
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