Image for representative use© BCCI

The Indiana Pacers’ risky move backfired after the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery saw them lose their top pick altogether in a disastrous turn of events on Sunday afternoon.

Heading into the lottery, the Pacers, who went 19-63 just one season after reaching the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference, had a 52.1% chance of having a top-four pick.

However, when they didn’t see their team chosen in the first four picks – Indiana also had a 14% chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick – it was time to panic.

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Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard speaks during a press conference to announce center Miles Turner’s contract extension at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Jan. 30, 2023. (Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports)

The reason? The Pacers included their first-round pick in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac, but they only made it a top-four protected pick. That means, if the Pacers were chosen in the lottery as a top-four selection, they would be able to keep it.

But the Pacers were chosen as the No. 5 pick, and the Clippers now own the selection in next month’s draft.

NBA LOTTERY CHAOS: WASHINGTON WIZARDS STRIKE GOLD, PACERS PAY FOR TANKING GAMBLE NIGHTMARE

As a result, Pacers team president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard took full responsibility for the move, apologizing on social media.

“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” he wrote on X. “I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”

Signage is displayed during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, on May 10, 2026. (Melissa Tamez/NBAE/Getty Images)

The Pacers were viewed as a team that were actively tanking despite the NBA’s attempt to crack down on such a season, with the lottery being one way of that. And it clearly worked this time around.

Pritchard was trying to be transparent and honest with the Pacers fan base, but people were quick to jump in the comments to make their thoughts, and gripes, known.

“You lose Myles Turner and add Zubac,” one X user began. “You lose [Benedict] Mathurin and the number 5 pick with absolutely nothing in return. This is why fans are upset, for a center who not even a top 5 center in the NBA. Who trades their future away for Ivan [sic] Zubac???”

Another X user called this a “generational draft,” and couldn’t fathom the Pacers won’t be picking from a deep class.

“If I were a Pacers fan and my team traded away a top 5 pick for Ivica Zubac in the middle of a tanking season I would be beyond devastated,” a fellow X user wrote.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots around on the court before an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)

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The Pacers were without their All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton all season long after he suffered an Achilles injury during the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But Indiana still has key members of that team returning next season, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith.

However, this 2026 draft class is quite the spectacle, with many believing it to be deep considering the talent of BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, UNC’s Caleb Wilson, and Duke’s Cam Boozer, among others.

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Nonconference games can make or break a team’s season.

Preseason victories can propel a team into Playoff consideration, or hold it back.

The table below shows the nonconference win percentages and win-loss records for the region’s top programs over the last 20 seasons.

Tilak Varma (L) and Naman Dhir© X (formerly Twitter)

FC Barcelona host arch-rivals Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou on Sunday in a potentially title-deciding El Clasico clash. Barcelona need just one point from the encounter to officially seal the 2025-26 La Liga crown after building an 11-point lead at the top of the table over second-placed Real Madrid.

The Catalan giants have been the dominant force in Spanish football this season, winning 29 of their 34 league matches and arriving into the contest on the back of 10 consecutive La Liga victories. Hansi Flick’s side also defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final earlier this year, although Los Blancos had won the reverse league fixture 2-1 at the Bernabeu in October.

In contrast, Real Madrid head into the game surrounded by uncertainty both on and off the pitch. The reported training-ground altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni has added to tensions within the squad, while questions continue to surround the dressing-room atmosphere and the club’s future direction.

La Liga: Barcelona vs Real Madrid live telecast and streaming details

When will the La Liga 25/26 match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF be played?

The La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played on May 11 (according to IST).

What time will the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid begin on May 11?

The La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid will start at 12:30 am IST (May 11).

What will be the venue for the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid?

Camp Nou will host the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Where will the live telecast of the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid be available in India?

The live telecast of the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid will not be available in India.

Where will the live streaming of the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid be available in India?

The live streaming of the La Liga 25/26 match between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be available on the FanCode app and website.

Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was ejected from Game 4 against the Timberwolves on Sunday for elbowing Naz Reid. The incident happened early in the second quarter after Wembanyama reached over the top of Reid for a rebound. 

As Reid aggressively boxed Wembanyama out, the Spurs center got tangled up with Mike Conley and Jaden McDaniels. Wembanyama then threw a clear elbow that connected squarely with Reid’s chin. After review, the referees assessed Wembanyama a Flagrant 2 foul, and he was ejected from the game. Take a look:

This was the first ejection of Wembanyama’s career, and it cost the Spurs dearly as Minnesota wound up winning the game, 114-109, to even the series 2-2 ahead of Game 5 on Tuesday in San Antonio. 

Will Wembanyama be a part of that game? We’ll see. The league could suspend him. It was a pretty vicious elbow on Reid. It’s hard to imagine the league making a ruling like that for such a marquee player in such a pivotal playoff game, but on the action alone, it wouldn’t be unwarranted. 

The ejection already was, in fact, the earliest an All-Star player has been ejected from a playoff game since at least 1997.

The elbow that Wembanyama threw didn’t occur in a vacuum. He’s been clearly frustrated by the level of physicality that has been applied to him in these playoffs and the lack of calls he has gotten as a result. Through the first two games of the series, he only went to the free-throw line a combined five times, but it should be noted that over 50% of his attempts in those games were from beyond the 3-point line. 

Once Wembanyama started attacking inside in Game 3, he went to the line 12 times. That’s not to say he hasn’t been getting a tough whistle. Big guys almost always get hit more than they get rewarded for by the refs. 

Spurs coach calls out how Wemby is officiated

Listening to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson following Game 4, it sounds like Wembanyama’s reaction on Sunday was, at least in part, one of frustration over the way Minnesota has gotten away with getting physical with him and the Spurs as a whole in this series. 

“In general, I do think it’s getting to the point that if the people that are in charge of controlling the game, and protecting the physicality of the game, don’t do that, then at some point [Wembanyama] is going to have to protect himself. We’ve been asking him to do that for a while.

“So, that call with Naz Reid was OK, and it sounded like the call was warranted,” Johnson continued, “but in terms of the game plan of every single team we’ve faced since [Wembanyama] has been in the league and the physicality that people try to impose on him, and the lack of protection, is really disappointing. At some level, it’s starting to get actually disgusting. 

“… I’m glad he took matters into his own hands,” Johnson concluded. “Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid. I want to be very clear about that. I didn’t want him to elbow [Reid]. But he’s going to have to protect himself if [the officials are not going to]. And I think it’s disgusting.”

So here we go with the all-too-familiar “coach thinks his star player gets a terrible whistle” rant. JJ Redick said after the Lakers’ Game 2 loss to the Thunder that LeBron James gets “the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen.” Go talk to Warriors fans about the way Stephen Curry gets mauled off the ball without getting very many calls, or Nuggets fans about Nikola Jokić’s whistle. Jaylen Brown believes he’s under a personal attack by the refs. 

In other words, nothing new here. Wemby is going to face physical defense for the rest of his career because the only chance opponents have to even marginally disrupt a human skyscraper. He’ll probably never get the benefit of the type of whistle he or his coaches and teammates believe he should. 

But right now, Johnson is just hoping to have some influence over the way Wemby is officiated for the rest of this series, and if you’re a Spurs fan, hopefully beyond. Frankly, he’s most concerned with making this sound as justifiable as possible to avoid Wemby getting suspended for Game 5. 

“There was no intent,” Johnson said when asked about the possibility of a suspension. “… I think it would be ridiculous.” 

But the fact is, even if Wemby plays in Game 5 and beyond, this series is an official dogfight. The Wolves are way tougher than most anyone gave them credit for entering these playoffs. Even the loss of Donte DiVincenzo hasn’t altered their high-pressure, defensive, no-back-down identity. They won Game 1 of this series even though Anthony Edwards didn’t start and was on a minutes restriction and Ayo Dosunmu didn’t play. 

The Spurs, who managed to beat Portland in Game 3 of their first-round series while Wemby was out with a concussion, were in a solid position to steal Game 4 even after Wembanyama went out. They led by eight in the fourth quarter, but the Wolves outscored them 28-15 over the final 8:51. They may end up regretting not closing this one out. 

The race for European qualification and the battle to avoid relegation are very tight. In Spain, Barca won El Clasico and their 29th league title. Olympique Lyonnais won their 11th Coupe de France. In the Giro d’Italia, Paul Magnier won Stage 3, his second victory in three days. Stade Rochelais remain in contention for the Top 14 play-offs.

With a New South Wales country feature race already notched up this autumn, Churchill’s Choice and her renowned strong finish line her up for potential back-to-back successes this Friday in Scone.

Trained by Nathan Doyle, the mare looks to build on her Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup conquest by capturing the $200,000 Listed Scone Cup (1600m), starring on the first day of the carnival spanning two days.

The four-year-old’s slim-margin but striking victory at Hawkesbury on May 2 ended a dry spell since her benchmark 72 win at Randwick in December 2024, delighting her trainer.

Doyle from Newcastle wishes for a longer gap before the Scone Cup compared to Hawkesbury, but the race this coming week offered too strong an appeal in her present form.

“I don’t think she’s a horse that actually lacked too much confidence, it’s just that she was probably too relaxed in the middle stages of her races,” Doyle said.

“When they started to increase the tempo in the race, she just wanted to go through the motions a little bit, but she’s bounced through the run good and I can’t fault her.

“We think she’s quite a fresh horse, so whether the two-week turnaround is a bit quick and she may need a little bit longer time will tell, but we haven’t done much with her in between.”

That Hawkesbury success brought Churchill’s Choice to four career triumphs, the first addition since her opening trio of wins.

By Churchill, the mare ran second in last year’s Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) coinciding with the Hawkesbury weekend, and was also runner-up in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) on her campaign opener.

Regan Bayliss partnered Churchill’s Choice for the debut time in the Hawkesbury Cup, with Doyle hoping for a reunion this weekend.

“I got Regan to have a sit on her at the trials before he rode her in the Hawkesbury Cup and he felt that flat spot she can hit and he got her through that period in Hawkesbury Cup,” he said.

“He got on his bike quite early and I think that was the difference between winning the race or running a nice fourth or fifth, which is what she’d been normally doing.”

The Scone Cup attracted 37 nominations including recent winners Tavi Time and Sky Lab, Cristal Clear from the Group 2 Ajax Stakes, last season’s Queensland Guineas victor Depth Of Character, and Formal Display pursuing four in a row.

Discover competitive racing betting markets ahead of the Scone Cup.

Arsenal face a nervous finale as injury concerns mount for the Gunners’ final games of the season despite their win over West Ham

Arsenal edged past West Ham United to strengthen their pursuit of the Premier League title, though they could not avoid picking up two more injury concerns ahead of their final fixtures.

Leandro Trossard netted the decisive goal for the Gunners, who struggled throughout the encounter at the London Stadium. It was far from a polished display by the league leaders, who survived several anxious moments, including a late West Ham effort being disallowed by VAR.

Yet Mikel Arteta’s team battled through to claim another victory and establish a five-point advantage, albeit having played one match more than rivals Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side face a tough ask to overcome their rivals.

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Arteta will not be without his own anxieties with one particular position ravaged by injuries. With that in mind, we look at the latest Arsenal injury news as their battle with City continues.

Ben White

Ben White departed the London Stadium with his right knee in a brace following a first-half substitution during the clash with West Ham. The England international appeared visibly distressed as he left the pitch with support from Arsenal medical personnel.

The problem seemingly casts doubt over the remainder of his campaign with just three matches left for the Gunners.

“We don’t know but it does not look good at all,” Arteta said in his press conference following the match.

Potential return date: End of season.

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Riccardo Calafiori

Riccardo Calafiori was also forced off early during the clash with West Ham. The Italian failed to reappear for the second half, with Cristhian Mosquera taking his place after he sustained an injury.

Potential return date: Unknown

Jurrien Timber

The Dutchman has been sidelined through injury and may not feature again before the campaign concludes. The full-back was present at the London Stadium on Sunday and took to the pitch in Arsenal training gear during the warm-up.

Timber remains unavailable for selection, though. Speaking before the encounter with the Irons, Arteta acknowledged that his rehabilitation would need to accelerate considerably if he’s to feature at all.

Potential return date: End of season.

Mikel Merino

Mikel Merino has been absent long-term following surgery and is battling to be fit before the season’s conclusion. The Spaniard had hoped for an accelerated comeback but now looks unlikely to make an appearance.

“There’s still a fair bit to do, so everything has to be smooth and quick if they want to have a chance to play any minutes,” said Arteta ahead of West Ham.

Potential return date: End of season.