A star-studded 4 vs. 5 matchup in the Western Conference of the 2026 NBA playoffs will see the Los Angeles Lakers face the Houston Rockets. Game 1 takes place on Saturday, with LeBron James and Kevin Durant (questionable, knee) clashing in the postseason once again. The fourth-seeded Lakers (53-29) have won three straight games, despite the absences of Luka Doncic (out, hamstring) and Austin Reaves (out, oblique). The No. 5 Rockets (52-30) have won nine of their last 10 games entering the NBA playoffs 2026. This will be the first postseason meeting between the franchises since 2020.
Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers won two of three regular-season meetings. The latest Lakers vs. Rockets odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have Houston as a 4.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 208.5. Before making any Rockets vs. Lakers picks, check out the Lakers vs. Rockets predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 23-9 roll (72%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
After 10,000 simulations of Rockets vs. Lakers, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (208.5) in over-under betting. The last matchup between these teams in mid-March went over with 240 combined points. Houston has heavily leaned over as of late, eclipsing the total in eight of its last 10 games. As for the Lakers, having this extended rest between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason indicates Saturday’s contest should be high scoring. The Over sports a 12-5 record when the Lakers have 2+ days of rest between games.
Three players are projected to score at least 22 points, with another eight players forecasted to score more than 9 points. Durant is projected to be the game’s leading scorer, but the Lakers counter with nine players who score more than 5 points, compared to just six for the Rockets. With that, 218 combined points are scored, per 10,000 simulations run, as the Over hits 64.2% of the time. See the Lakers vs. Rockets spread pick at SportsLine.
An announcement for Conor Benn’s maiden world title shot against reigning WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia seems to be around the corner, and former promoter Eddie Hearn has predicted how Benn will fare in that fight.
Benn has not fought at welterweight since knocking out Chris van Heerden in April 2022, but has been installed as the WBC’s mandatory challenger, ahead of a return to what he believes to be his natural weight division.
Last Saturday, ‘The Destroyer’ was tasked with Regis Prograis in a 150lb catchweight affair, that being the first fight of his career not promoted by Hearn, and underwhelmed as he was made to work for a decision win against the 37-year-old.
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After watching that fight, Hearn told Fight Hub TV that he believes Benn no longer possesses the punch power to hurt Garcia as a welterweight, siding with ‘King Ry’ in that potential scrap.
“Honestly, before Saturday, if I was his promoter, I would be saying that I think he [Benn] wins the fight, that I think that he can hurt him [Garcia] but that I think that it is a very tough fight.
“Now, I’m not his promoter, I still think that can hurt him but I don’t know if he can at 147lbs. I was watching that [Prograis] fight thinking, ‘you don’t look like you have any power or zip in your punches. Whereas, up at 154lbs at 160lbs, you looked strong’.
“Listen, it might have just been a poor performance, who knows?”
WWE WrestleMania 42 LIVE Updates, Night 1: Cody Rhodes takes on Randy Orton for the WWE Undisputed Championship in the main event after Liv Morgan beat Stephanie Vaquer to become the new WWE Women’s World Champion. Gunther defeated Seth Rollins after Bron Breakker’s stunning return while Becky Lynch and Paige won major titles on Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Jacob Fatu beat Drew McIntyre in an unsanctioned match.
WWE WrestleMania 42 LIVE Updates, Night 1, straight from Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, USA:
Match of the Day pundits Ashely Williams and Joe Hart analyse Ayden Heaven’s performance against Chelsea after the young defender played a key role in Manchester United’s win alongside strong performances from other senior players.
The fun began when the Royals posted a lineup without Perez. Royals manager Matt Quatraro then told reporters he was giving Perez a “mental breather” after some recent struggles, with Carter Jensen getting the start behind the plate instead.
That seemed simple enough… until about nine hours later, when Perez bluntly posted “I don’t need a mental breather” on social media.
Jensen homered in that game, bringing his season total up to five (video above).
What’s particularly awkward is that the 35-year-old Perez has barely been playable so far this season, after a down 2025. He’s slashed .160/.210/.307 in 20 games so far this season, with 17 strikeouts and 4 walks in 81 plate appearances. Jensen hasn’t been much better at .214/.274/.446, but he has been better (except when it comes to waking up).
Similar to what just happened on the Toronto Blue Jays with Eric Lauer, there’s probably a conversation to be had behind closed doors. Perez commands immense respect in Kansas City as a nine-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, five-time Gold Glove and World Series MVP of the Royals’ 2015 title, but he’s simply a different player now.
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Quatraro has been the manager in Kansas City since 2023 and entered this season with a 224-262 record, with a playoff berth in 2024.
Former WWE Divas Champion Paige (aka Saraya) has finally returned to the Stamford-based promotion at WrestleMania 42. She was in action on the show.
Nikki Bella & Brie Bella were supposed to team up to lock horns with Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax & Lash Legend, and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria in a Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Match for the Women’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 42. However, before the show, Nikki suffered an unfortunate ankle injury. Several reports suggested that The Kabuki Warriors ( Asuka & Kairi Sane) would replace The Bella Twins in this match.
Thanks for the submission!
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However, according to new reports, Paige (aka Saraya) had finally signed a contract with WWE and was expected to show up at WrestleMania 42. It was also mentioned that the former Divas Champion would most likely replace Nikki to team up with Brie in the Women’s Tag Team Championship match.
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On tonight’s show, Nikki Bella came out with Brie to say that she tried her best to recover in time for ‘Mania, but unfortunately, she couldn’t. She added that she didn’t want to ruin Brie’s WrestleMania moment because of her injury, so she called an old friend. As it turns out, this “old friend” was none other than Paige.
Check out a clip of her return in the post below:
Saraya had been heavily rumored to join the Stamford-based promotion since she left All Elite Wrestling last year. Many expected her to show up at this year’s WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Match, but that did not happen. However, despite no confirmation on her return, fans didn’t lose hope for her return at The Biggest Stage of Them All.
Now that The Bella Twins and AJ Lee are back in WWE. This was the right time for Paige to return, as they could put on some great matches together, just like they did earlier in their careers. It will be interesting to see what the Triple H-led creative team has planned for Saraya’s future.
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Will the Minnesota Vikings ultimately draft a wide receiver in Round 1 on Thursday night? Probably not. Can a wide receiver be ruled out for the Vikings in Round 1? Probably not. The following is the case for a 1st-Round receiver as Minnesota’s pick — and it’s really not that wacky.
Wide receiver remains a live possibility for Minnesota at No. 18.
If the Vikings are in the mood for this, there are plenty of options at Pick No. 18.
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Pick No. 18 Has Several Intriguing Receiver Paths, Including WR
This is the case for a Round 1 wideout in purple.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison tracks the ball and secures a touchdown catch during first-quarter action against the Green Bay Packers, with the play unfolding on Sep 29, 2024 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The early score gives Minnesota momentum as Addison finishes the play in stride during a divisional road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
1. Jordan Addison’s Behavior Is Unpredictable
Addison has been arrested three times since the Vikings drafted him in 2023, and he also missed a team walkthrough in London last year.
At any minute — unfortunately — the guy could do something dumb and be sidelined indefinitely or flat-out off the roster. That’s the risk with Addison. Keeping that in mind, having a contingency plan in-house, like Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson or Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., isn’t the worst idea ever.
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2. The Previous WR3, Jalen Nailor, Left
Nailor picked new pastures this offseason, choosing the Las Vegas Raiders, which is where he grew up. The Vikings have no WR3 — unless they trust the next guy on this list.
If there is no vivid WR3, a team should draft one, right? That’s the mentality here, as the Vikings could get richer than most at WR3 by picking a Round 1 wideout.
3. Nobody Knows if Tai Felton Is Any Good
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Felton, a 3rd-Round pick by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last year, played 26 offensive snaps as a rookie. Minnesota went out of its way not to play Felton by trading for a washed Adam Thielen. Not a good sign.
There’s a chance that Felton blossoms this summer. But what if he’s simply another Adofo-Mensah bust? You guessed it — Minnesota would need a third receiver.
4. The Main Drafter Is an Offense-First Head Coach
When the Vikings’ owners fired Adofo-Mensah, they made Kevin O’Connell the Team CEO through their actions. O’Connell is a former quarterback. An offense guy. Like Mike Zimmer loving cornerbacks, O’Connell might just believe in investing in the offense at all costs.
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Therefore, a dynamic extra weapon — such as 1st-Round WR — cannot be ruled out.
5. Justin Jefferson Isn’t a Lock to Stick around Forever
Close your eyes and plug your ears. If the Vikings don’t win soon and seriously contend for a Super Bowl, even the nicest of guys (Jefferson) could opt for a change of scenery. Next offseason is when Jefferson could reasonably request a trade, while the Vikings could bow to the request in a wise financial manner.
Suppose Minnesota misses the postseason in 2026, pissing Jefferson off and prompting his agent to look for a way out. See: Randy Moss in 2005. A Jefferson-less Vikings roster would need WRs. If they drafted Tyson or Cooper Jr. in 2026, it wouldn’t feel like doomsday at WR in 2027.
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6. A WR Logjam at the Vikings’ Spot
At Pick No. 18, wide receiver is actually a hotspot. These men may be there for the taking:
Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M)
Denzel Boston (Washington)
Not every position is like that. For instance, at defensive tackle, there’s only one player who makes sense at the Vikings’ spot: Peter Woods.
The plentiful options increase Minnesota’s chances of giving in to the WR temptation.
7. The BPA Argument
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Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski recently said that he wholeheartedly believes in the “best player available” philosophy. What if a) he’s telling the truth? b) that player is Jordyn Tyson, for example?
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson lines up and surveys the defense during game action against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Mountain America Stadium, with the moment captured on Oct 18, 2025 in Tempe. Tyson’s presence highlights the Sun Devils’ passing attack as he works through coverage in a Big 12 matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
He’d have to put his money where his mouth is.
8. Drafting WRs Is What the Vikings Do Best
In the last 35 years, the Vikings have drafted these wide receivers:
Jordan Addison
Stefon Diggs
Percy Harvin
Justin Jefferson
Randy Moss
Jake Reed
They also found Adam Thielen in undrafted free agency and gave Cris Carter his big chance, which turned into a Hall of Fame career.
This is what the Vikings do — find stud WRs. Why would they stop now?
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9. WR Is a Premium Position; Safeties Are Not
The draft frontrunners for the Vikings right now are safeties: Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. That’s all fine and dandy, but safety is not a premium NFL position. Teams can find a decent safety for half the price of an equally productive wide receiver in free agency. And that statement isn’t debateable.
Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. completes a touchdown catch during College Football Playoff semifinal action in the Peach Bowl against the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the play unfolding on Jan 9, 2026 in Atlanta. The scoring grab boosts Indiana’s offense in a high-stakes postseason showdown under bright lights. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-Imagn Images.
Not all NFL teams honor this philosophy, but if the Vikings do, it should wipe a 1st-Round safety off their radar. That would clear the way to examine Tyson, Cooper, Concepcion, or Boston.
IShowSpeed took flight at WrestleMania 42 (follow live now). His alliance with Logan Paul imploded, leading to IShowSpeed’s wild leap off the top rope and through the commentary table ringside.
IShowSpeed and Paul, two of the biggest social media personalities, united at WWE’s annual spectacle in Las Vegas. Their similarities weren’t enough to keep the team together. After losing their six-man tag team match to LA Knight and The Usos, Paul turned on IShowSpeed.
Paul, one-half of the world tag team champions, has repeatedly made headlines with his wild leaps of faith. On Saturday, Paul tried to create another viral moment at IShowSpeed’s expense. Instead, IShowSpeed’s opponents rescued him and helped the WWE rookie get revenge.
Knight and The Usos beat down Paul before laying him across the commentary table. From there, IShowSpeed climbed to the top rope and dove approximately eight feet down, and a significant distance across, crashing through Paul and the table.
The six-man tag team match, which also featured Austin Theory, was the opening match at Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. This year’s spectacle takes place at Allegiant Stadium, which also hosted WrestleMania last year. Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton headlines Saturday; meanwhile, world heavyweight champion CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns headlines Sunday.
The Giants traded the Pro Bowl defensive tackle to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a package that includes the No. 10 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
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Lawrence will reportedly be receiving his desired extension with his new team.
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This article will be updated with more information.
Man Utd produced a gutsy performance to beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in a result that could be huge for Michael Carrick.
22:12, 18 Apr 2026
You could call it a tale of two left-wingers. One who sees it as his favourite position but whose questionable commitment was again on show at Stamford Bridge. The other would rather be centre stage, but rather than retreating to the margins, he put the work in to make sure he got the headlines anyway.
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Alejandro Garnacho might be unpopular with Chelsea fans, but he is despised by United supporters. They would have been all too familiar with his half-hearted attempt at stopping Bruno Fernandes’ run that led to Matheus Cunha’s goal.
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Cunha should be able to reflect on a good first season at Old Trafford after his £62.5million from Wolves in the summer, even if there is a sense of more to come. He was part of a summer of recruitment that looks like being a roaring success, with character and quality added to the squad.
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Garnacho’s cameo role in United’s success was a reminder that the former hasn’t always been a given in recent years. He didn’t come on at Old Trafford in September, but he would have left Manchester under no illusions that he had burnt his bridges at United. His first taste of action against his former club only reinforced that view.
If there was one legacy of the Ruben Amorim era, it is the way he so ruthlessly discarded bad apples. It meant Carrick has inherited a much more unified dressing room, one that is pulling in the same direction, and that was evident in the way United dug deep in the second half to hold on to their advantage.
That togetherness wasn’t the case 18 months ago, and Garnacho had already been mercilessly abused even before he was sent to warm up when Estevao went down injured. His foray towards those superb away fans produced the expected reaction. Amorim’s decision to discard him for a Manchester derby in December 2024 and then cut him adrift completely last summer has the backing of the supporters, even if they once thrilled to his talents.
Despite being forced into that early change that saw Garnacho enter the fray, it was Chelsea who had shaded most of the first half, with Cole Palmer at the heart of it. Nominally playing behind Liam Delap, his positioning meant United could never get a handle on him. Often, Palmer would drop deep and drift to the left, sometimes standing next to Pedro Neto to find space and get on the ball, and when he had it, you sensed danger.
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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
If Palmer ever decided to try to force a move back to Manchester, United would be foolish not to try to make it happen. He would be the perfect replacement for Fernandes, but that doesn’t yet look like being a dilemma for the Old Trafford decision makers, and he proved his worth again just before the break.
Chelsea hadn’t capitalised on the quality of Palmer, but when Fernandes created a chance for United, they did. He wriggled away from a weak attempt at a tackle from Garnacho and his cross found Cunha, whose first-time finish was unstoppable.
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The Brazilian had a similar chance earlier in the half, when his attempt at controlling Bryan Mbeumo’s pass was clumsy and resulted in a booking when he lunged in to try and retrieve the situation. This time, he left nothing to chance with his first touch.
The game should have been set up for United at that point, and they wasted a couple of opportunities to break with poor decisions as Chelsea tried to build a head of steam. Delap’s header against the crossbar from 10 yards was a warning sign, and Palmer side-footing wide when unmarked from a similar distance was a let-off. Another Chelsea cross then hit Noussair Mazraoui as he tried to clear and bounced back off the bar.
United were living on the edge and failing to put the game to bed, thanks to their decision-making in the final third. At times, it was too intricate, with Fernandes and Casemiro guilty of overplaying when they should have taken the shot on.
It didn’t matter in the end, with a diligent defensive display securing United a fourth win against a side in the top six since Carrick replaced Amorim in January. Complete the set with victory against Liverpool in May and his claims to keep the job will be impossible to ignore.
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But this was a night when he might just thank his predecessor as well. It can be easy to look back on the Amorim era with regret, but not everything that happened in those 14 months was bad.
Zhao Xintong made a scrappy start to his Halo World Snooker Championship defence before putting away qualifier Liam Highfield 10-7 at the Crucible.
Zhao triumphed in Sheffield a year ago but was at risk of following in the footsteps of Luca Brecel and Kyren Wilson, who fell at the first hurdle when defending their crown in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
At the end of the opening session he had a wafer thin 5-4 lead over Highfield, who has never won a match in the main draw but soon found himself level-pegging with the world number four.
Zhao’s rough edges continued but he turned the tide by claiming a pivotal 11th frame and wrapped up the best-of-19 clash after a courageous long plant on his first red, opening up the table for a match-winning century.
“Tonight was pressure, it was very difficult for me,” he told BBC Sport.
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“Two days ago I thought I could control that, not now. I just tried to control myself and enjoy the table, but tonight I didn’t do it well. Hopefully next round I can do it.”
A blockbuster second-round match against Chinese compatriot Ding Junhui awaits on Friday, should the latter beat David Gilbert first, and Zhao added: “If I play Ding, everyone keeps eyes on us. If I play with Ding, I’ll feel good.”
Zhao had kicked things off by taking the first two frames of the day, which began with a minute’s applause for John Virgo, the much-loved former player and commentator who died in February.
Breaks of 124 and 128 suggested he was finding some rhythm, but he made a series of uncharacteristic mistakes to let the Englishman back in and would have welcomed the break in play to compose himself.
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When the contest resumed he drew gasps from the crowd when he went in off the pink, Highfield drawing level to bring the upset closer. With the pressure on, Zhao picked the perfect moment to pick up three successive frames, reeling off some outrageous long pots to put move 8-5 ahead.
A horrible miss on a simple black could have cost him the 14th, but a series of errors from both men eventually saw him pick off green and blue to nick a messy frame and go within touching distance. Highfield did not give up, taking the next two, but Zhao’s willingness to take on a low percentage red settled matters.
Barry Hawkins, the 2013 runner-up, took a dominant 7-2 advantage over Matthew Stevens. He was 2-1 down after a slow start but shut out the Welshman for the remainder of the evening, with a top break of 99.
Mark Williams took a 6-3 lead over Polish qualifier Antoni Kowalski but there was little to pick between Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong, with the former edging it 5-4 in the afternoon’s play.
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In the morning session, 14th seed Mark Allen went 5-3 down to Zhang Anda with the Northern Irishman losing three in a row before halting the momentum just before the interval.
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