Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Jacob Bethell (ANI Photo)
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged young all-rounder Jacob Bethell to return home from the Indian Premier League 2026 amid injury concerns and uncertainty over his place in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru playing XI ahead of the playoffs.Bethell entered IPL 2026 with significant expectations following his impressive performances for England earlier in the year. However, the youngster has struggled to make a major impact during the tournament, managing just 163 runs in nine matches in what has been a difficult campaign for the left-hander.The English batter was also ruled out of RCB’s final league-stage clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 22 due to a finger injury. His absence forced RCB to reshuffle their batting order, with Venkatesh Iyer opening alongside Virat Kohli while the franchise awaited the return of fellow Englishman Phil Salt for the playoffs. Captain Rajat Patidar returned to the XI after recovering from a finger injury of his own.With England set to begin their Test summer against New Zealand national cricket team on June 4, Vaughan believes Bethell should prioritize recovery and national duty over remaining with RCB if he is unlikely to feature in the knockout stage.Speaking on Cricbuzz, Vaughan said:“If Jacob Bethell’s injured, he should be on the next plane home to England. England plays a Test match on June 4th, making sure that England has a look at him before potentially, to see if he is fit or not going to be fit for the Test match against New Zealand. I would think he’s better off back in the UK, just getting assessed.”Vaughan acknowledged the value of the IPL experience for young cricketers but stressed that England’s preparations should now take priority.“I’m being a bit old school, I guess they’ll say he’s got to stay till the end, but if he’s not going to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, England have got a training camp this next week. He should be back home in the UK.”The former England skipper also highlighted the learning experience Bethell has already gained from spending two seasons in the IPL environment.“You know I’m a big believer in the IPL. If you’re going to play, it grows your game massively. And obviously, when you’re a young player in the dressing room with lights, I completely get it.”“As a young player, he was here last year, so he learned a lot. This year, he’s played a little bit, but hasn’t had a huge amount of success. But if he is injured, England has a training camp this week. Baz McCullum arrives in the UK on Sunday morning, and I think the training camp starts Monday. He should be back in the UK with the team.”
Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC world title against Rico Verhoeven on Saturday in Egypt.
The fight is unusual in location as in nature, with kickboxing world champion Verhoeven getting a title shot in just his second boxing fight – and first since 2014.
The 37-year-old Dutchman is aiming to pull off arguably the biggest upset in the sport’s history.
Ukrainian Usyk, 39, is aiming to continue his near 17-year winning streak.
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Will we see an underdog win for the ages or will Usyk’s dominance continue?
BBC Sport asks the boxing world for their predictions.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby delivered a hopeful message about the future of his longtime teammate Evgeni Malkin, saying recent contract discussions between the organization and the veteran center have reached a promising stage.
Speaking from the World Championship in Switzerland, Crosby indicated that the end-of-season conversations left him feeling encouraged about Malkin’s chances of staying in Pittsburgh.
Evgeni Malkin will turn 40 this summer and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
“I’ve just always expected to be playing with him,” Crosby said via NY Times. “After talking with everyone at the end of the year, it felt like it was in a good place in terms of getting something done.
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He also expressed a preference for resolving the situation sooner rather than later, referencing past negotiations that dragged into the summer and created unnecessary uncertainty.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been central to the Penguins’ success for nearly two decades, arriving as young phenoms in the mid-2000s and anchoring three Stanley Cup championship teams.
Crosby has made no secret of his desire to continue their on-ice partnership, describing their connection as one that goes far beyond hockey. Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has previously voiced the organization’s interest in retaining Malkin.
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With the team coming off another early playoff exit, a short-term deal for the veteran forward appears to be the most likely path to take as Pittsburgh tries to blend its veteran leadership with younger players moving up the roster.
Sidney Crosby clears the air around retirement speculation
Sidney Crosby made it clear he has no immediate thoughts of hanging up his skates. The 38-year-old superstar addressed ongoing speculation about his future:
“Not at all… I said year to year because of where the team is at,” he said. “It just makes sense, whether it’s our cap, who we have coming in and out, just to have that flexibility. It’s important,” Crosby said via NY Times.
He added:
“Yeah, I’m saying year to year based on contracts,” he explained. “It just seems to make sense. I mean, it could change. We’ll see. Kyle (Dubas) and I haven’t even talked about it. But I’ll talk with Pat (Brisson) and Kyle later this summer. We’ll talk about it and do what makes sense. If it does make sense to sign for a couple of years, then we’ll do that.”
Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby and Team Canada are atop the Group B standings with 14 points at the World Championship. Their next game is against Slovakia on Sunday.
Through the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has produced numbers not seen at this stage of the postseason in roughly 50 years.
As the series shifted to San Antonio for Game 3 on Friday, the French basketball phenom once again led the Spurs in scoring. But his 26-point performance was not enough to give San Antonio a 2-1 series lead over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of game three of the Western Conference finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 22, 2026.(Daniel Dunn/Imagn Images)
Shortly after Game 2 on Wednesday, Spurs guard Stephon Castle acknowledged that his team is “probably most comfortable playing in front of our fans.” San Antonio quickly backed up that sentiment in Game 3, jumping out to a 15-0 lead in its first home game of the series.
Just five minutes into the contest, the Spurs held a commanding 19-4 advantage as the home crowd created a raucous atmosphere.
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Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Three of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 22, 2026.(Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
But Oklahoma City’s bench played a pivotal role in the comeback that ultimately gave the Thunder a critical series lead. Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams, Jared McCain and Cason Wallace were widely credited with helping swing the game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket past Julian Champagnie of the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter in Game Three of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 22, 2026.(Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The Spurs took Game 1 behind 41 points and 24 rebounds from Wembanyama, and the defending champion Thunder got 30 points from Gilgeous-Alexander on the way to getting a victory in Game 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 23, 2023, during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Addison continued his impressive rookie campaign with another explosive scoring play as the Vikings secured a primetime victory over San Francisco at home. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings will get training camp underway in less than 10 weeks, and fans now know the full schedule, which kicks off in Minneapolis on September 13th against the Green Bay Packers. In the backdrop, VikingsTerritory is here for a peek at the current rumor mill.
Minnesota’s rumor mill has fresh angles involving a wide receiver, a safety, and a former draft pick.
Every weekend, we post two batches of rumors, and this is the first edition, with June right around the corner.
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Three Vikings Angles Surface before Summer Camp
The Purple Rumor Mill for May 23rd, 2026.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) participates in pregame warmups before facing the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 5, 2023, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Addison prepared alongside teammates as Minnesota finalized offensive plans ahead of an important NFC matchup during his productive rookie season with the Vikings’ passing attack continuing to expand weekly. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Rumor: Jordan Addison makes sense as a trade candidate for the Indianapolis Colts.
FanSided‘s Jake Beckman identified one player per team to target via trade, and for Indianapolis, Addison evidently moved the needle.
He explained, “The Colts are in a very tough spot right now. IF (and that’s a big IF) Daniel Jones is healthy enough to play at the beginning of the season, he’s going to need his receivers to get open early and often. The problem is that right now, his wide receivers are Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.”
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“That’s not remotely close to the caliber of a receiver room that they’re going to need… and there isn’t really anyone out there who is going to give that wide receiver room a shot of adrenaline. However, the Vikings did just sign Jauan Jennings.”
Any Addison trade fodder this offseason has been fan- or media-driven. There’s no credible intel to suggest a deal is in play.
Beckman added, “If they wanted to move on from Addison, who has had a litany of legal issues, they absolutely could. It’s unprecedented for a team to trade a player right after they exercise his fifth-year option, but this is a pretty unique situation that both teams are in.”
The problem? The Vikings probably aren’t trading Addison. They would’ve done that already this offseason.
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Rumor: Theo Jackson could be released later this summer.
Bleacher Report‘s Moe Moton outlined a surprise cut candidate for each NFL team last week, and for the Vikings, Jackson got the treatment.
He explained, “Last season, Theo Jackson moved up on the Minnesota Vikings’ safety depth chart, playing 60 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. After a step forward in his development, Jackson may be less productive as the Vikings’ No. 3 safety.”
“He could lose his roster spot if rookie third-rounder Jakobe Thomas shows promising signs in the next phases of the Vikings’ offseason program.”
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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell greets safety Theo Jackson (25) before a matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 13, 2022, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Jackson later developed into a meaningful defensive contributor for Minnesota after initially joining the organization in a reserve role and special teams capacity. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
After Camryn Bynum departed for the Indianapolis Colts last offseason, the Vikings quickly designated Jackson as his replacement. Jackson played in 14 games, starting eight, where he accumulated 47 tackles, a forced fumble, and two quarterback hits. However, he also allowed a high passer rating of 131.5.
While Jackson finished the season with a 68.4 Pro Football Focus grade, Ward’s grade was slightly higher at 70.4. Furthermore, Brian Flores began relying more on Ward as the season concluded, indicating that Minnesota’s safety strategy could shift significantly in the upcoming season.
It’s worth noting that Jackson’s job could be in further jeopardy if Harrison Smith decides to return for Year No. 15.
Rumor: Janarius Robinson has a shot at becoming the newest New England Patriot.
Robinson could fire up his fifth NFL team in five years. NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote Tuesday morning, “The Patriots will be checking out a potential addition to their defense on Tuesday. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that defensive end Janarius Robinson will be working out for the team.”
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“Robinson spent last season with the Chiefs, but he did not appear in any games after fracturing his foot in the offseason. Robinson was a Vikings fourth-round pick in 2021 and moved on to the Eagles in 2022, but spent most of both seasons on injured reserve.”
Through three months of free agency, Robinson has no known intrigue from EDGE-needy teams. That could change any day.
Florida State running back Jacques Patrick (9) and defensive end Janarius Robinson (11) walk off the field after facing the Florida Gators on Nov. 24, 2018, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles closed the regular season rivalry matchup with both players contributing to Florida State’s effort against its in-state rival. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Gralton-FSView
Do the Patriots need more EDGE assistance? From a role player and fringe roster bubble commodity like Robinson — likely not. Nevertheless, here’s a glance at Mike Vrabel’s outside linebackers at the moment.
Harold Landry III
Dre’Mont Jones
Gaba Jacas
Namdi Obiazor
Bradyn Swinson
Quintayvious Hutchins
Jesse Luketa
Xavier Holmes
If signed, Robinson would probably slide onto the depth chart behind Jacas, a 2nd-Round rookie, and above Obiazor, a 6th-Round rookie.
Tim Bradley has assessed the nuances of a clash between Devin Haney and Keyshawn Davis, believing one man to be the clear favourite in their potential welterweight encounter.
Following his comprehensive performance against Brian Norman Jr last November, many would regard WBO champion Haney as the top dog at 147lbs.
‘The Dream’ was able to outpoint and dethrone Norman with minimal difficulty, scoring an early knockdown before becoming a three-division world champion.
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Previous points victories over the likes of Vasyl Lomachenko and Regis Prograis, too, have only cemented Haney as one of the finest active fighters in the sport.
Davis, meanwhile, is yet to fully establish himself as a pound-for-pound star, despite having previously dethroned Denys Berinchyk – with a fourth-round stoppage, no less – to become the WBO lightweight champion in February 2025.
A ring return last January then saw ‘The Businessman’ defeat Jermaine Ortiz at 140lbs, scoring a 12th-round finish after dismantling his opponent with body shots.
Based on their last respective performances, though, Bradley has said on his YouTube channel that he would make Davis a sizable underdog.
“I’m telling you right now: I don’t care to see the fight. I think it’s an ugly fight. But who would be the favourite?
“[Based on] their last performances, Devin Haney would be the favourite. Haney has more experience; Haney’s been fighting [professionally] since he was 17 years old. Fighting grown men out there in Mexico.
“He’s won [an undisputed championship and has] been in there with legends [like Lomachenko].”
Along with his experience, Bradley highlights the mentality of Haney as a key factor against Davis, who narrowly missed weight in his first encounter with the scales ahead of the Albright fight.
MCG will play host to Friday’s
Round 11 AFL game between Richmond Tigers and
Essendon Bombers. The game kicks off at 7:40 pm with Essendon Bombers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Richmond Tigers vs.
Essendon Bombers
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Richmond and Essendon renew their Dreamtime rivalry at the MCG on Friday night, with both clubs desperate to avoid sinking deeper into the bottom end of the ladder. Sitting at 1-9, the traditional rivals enter the 22nd edition of the marquee fixture under pressure after difficult campaigns. Essendon was outclassed by Fremantle last week after a wasteful first half effectively ended the contest early, while Richmond showed patches of fight despite another injury-hit performance against St Kilda. Adem Yze’s side continues to battle a growing casualty ward, with Campbell Gray the latest Tiger sidelined. Essendon has had the edge in recent Dreamtime clashes, winning the last three meetings, including a comfortable 23-point triumph in 2025. With pride, momentum and ladder position all at stake, both sides will view this as a major opportunity to reset their seasons.
Alas Pilipinas Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons in action during the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
SANTA ROSA, Laguna—Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons are prioritizing the Philippine bid in the 2026 Asian Games by opting to stay with Alas Pilipinas beach volleyball squad instead of returning to their respective Premier Volleyball League squads for the next conference.
With the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya set from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 in Japan, the Southeast Asian Games gold medalists said their focus is now on gaining more international exposure and experience through overseas tournaments as part of their buildup for the continental meet.
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“I’m thankful to our (team) managements for allowing us to focus on beach volleyball until after the Asian Games,” Pons said. “We’re really looking forward to the tournaments we’ll be joining abroad because they’ll give us more exposure and experience to further improve our game as preparation for the Asian Games.”
Rondina and Pons will miss the PVL on Tour and will return to their respective club teams in the Reinforced Conference, with Rebisco—which owns Choco Mucho, where Rondina plays, and Creamline—giving them clearance and full support to represent the country on the sands.
“We’re still really looking forward to the positive things and the experience we’ll gain from joining international tournaments,” Rondina said. “We’ll continue training and preparing for everything we need to work on. Our biggest goal is really the Asian Games.
“Right now, we’re just waiting and praying that everything pushes through as planned.”
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Pons and Rondina missed the Round of 24 in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge after a heartbreaking 20-22, 22-24 loss to Switzerland’s Annique Niederhauser and Menia Bentele on Thursday at Nuvali Sands Courts. But they remain proud of their run against world-class players.
Alas men Ranran Abdilla and Ronniel Rosales couldn’t finish their Nuvali Challenge campaign, as Rosales had a sudden spike in blood pressure at the start of the second set and eventually gave up a 21-10, 3-2 result to Hagen Smith and Ryan Ierna.
Abdilla said that their team decided to withdraw from the do-or-die match as a precaution for Rosales, handing the walkover win to England’s Frederick Bialokoz and Issa Batrane.
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“We already talked about it, and of course, this wasn’t something we wanted to happen. Situations like this really happen sometimes,” said Abdilla. “Actually, I experienced something similar last year, too. So I think it’s really about acceptance and learning from it.”
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Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) and guard Jared McCain (3) hug after Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Down 15-0 not even three minutes into Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Friday night, Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault went to his bench for the first time.
And everything changed in an instant, a harbinger of what was to come.
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The Oklahoma City bench keeps getting better in these Western Conference finals — and, with all respect to MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the backups are the reason the Thunder are two wins away from a return the NBA Finals.
The Thunder got 50 points from their reserves in Game 1, then 57 in Game 2 — and on Friday, the bench mob struck again, scoring 76 points and keying Oklahoma City’s 123-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs for a 2-1 series lead.
The 76 bench points were the most by a team in a conference finals game since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984. The previous mark was 69 by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. Only two Thunder starters scored in double figures — Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and Chet Holmgren had 14.
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The bench more than made up for that.
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Jared McCain scored 24 points for the Thunder; that’s a playoff career best. Jaylin Williams — that’s the forward, with Thunder guard Jalen Williams out with hamstring issues again — hit five 3-pointers and scored 18; that was also a playoff career high. And Alex Caruso had 15 points, giving him 63 in this series; that’s the best three-game scoring span of his career.
Oklahoma City Thunder guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and Alex Caruso (9) high-five during the first half of Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Oklahoma City’s bench contributed 62% of the scoring for the Thunder in Game 3 — something no team had done in a winning effort during a conference finals game in the last four decades.
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Caruso was the first sub for the Thunder after the Spurs scored the game’s first 15 points. He instantly settled things down and most of that San Antonio lead was gone by the end of the first quarter.
Oklahoma City controlled the majority of things the rest of the way. After being down 15 at the start, the Thunder won by 15 at the end.
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The race for qualification to next season’s EPCR Investec Champions Cup has become one of the most confusing and fascinating subplots of the BKT United Rugby Championship season.
While supporters naturally assume the top eight teams in the final URC standings qualify automatically for Europe’s top competition, the reality is far more complicated due to EPCR regulations surrounding trophy winners.
Under normal circumstances, the top eight teams in the final BKT URC table secure qualification for the following season’s Investec Champions Cup.
However, EPCR rules also guarantee Champions Cup qualification for any club that wins either the Investec Champions Cup or the EPCR Challenge Cup, even if that side finishes outside the league qualification positions.
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How Ulster Could Change Everything
The current complication centres around Ulster, who finished ninth in the URC standings but have reached this weekend’s EPCR Challenge Cup Final.
If Ulster win the Challenge Cup, they automatically qualify for next season’s Investec Champions Cup despite finishing outside the URC top eight.
That qualification place would come from the URC’s allocation of eight Champions Cup spots.
As things currently stand, that would mean Connacht, who occupy eighth place, would lose their Champions Cup place and instead drop into the EPCR Challenge Cup.
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The Further Connacht Twist
However, the story does not end there.
If Connacht were then to go on and win the BKT United Rugby Championship title itself, they would qualify automatically for the Investec Champions Cup as URC champions.
In that scenario, Connacht would effectively regain a Champions Cup place despite losing the original top-eight allocation.
That would then create another shift in qualification places, with the side that finished seventh in the table — the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions — dropping into the EPCR Challenge Cup instead.
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Why The System Is Causing Confusion
The situation has created considerable confusion among supporters because league finishing position alone no longer guarantees European qualification.
Instead, qualification is now directly tied to a combination of:
Final URC table positions
EPCR Challenge Cup winners
Investec Champions Cup winners
URC playoff winners
As a result, teams can technically finish inside the top eight and still miss out on Champions Cup rugby depending on results elsewhere.
For Connacht supporters especially, the permutations have added another dramatic layer to an already tense playoff campaign.
The URC is expected to formally confirm all final EPCR qualification places once the remaining European and URC knockout fixtures are completed.
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Potential Qualification Scenarios
Ulster lose Challenge Cup Final: Top eight URC teams qualify normally.
Ulster win Challenge Cup Final: Ulster qualify for Champions Cup and Connacht drop into Challenge Cup.
Ulster win Challenge Cup + Connacht win URC: Connacht regain Champions Cup qualification as URC champions, while the Lions would move into the Challenge Cup.
SEATTLE — Zia Cooke scored 16 of her career-high 25 points in the first half, rookie Flau’jae Johnson had her best game of the season and the Seattle Storm beat the Connecticut Sun 77-59 on Friday night.
Johnson, the No. 8 pick in the recent WNBA draft, had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, all season bests. Natisha Hiedeman added 11 points for the Storm (2-4), who avenged a last-second loss to the Sun on Wednesday. Seattle won 89-82 at Connecticut in the second game of the season.
Diamond Miller had 13 points for Connecticut (1-6) and Aaliyah Edwards scored 10. Brittney Griner missed her fourth straight game with a rib injury.
Seattle, which trailed 21-19 after one quarter, took a 37-28 lead at halftime as Cooke outscored the Sun in the second quarter 8-7.
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The Storm led by 16 in the third quarter but the Sun cut the deficit to seven points when they opened the fourth with a three-pointer. Cooke made a free throw and Johnson hit a three-pointer and the Sun never cut the deficit to single digits after that.
The Sun made nine baskets in the first quarter and totaled 11 over the final three quarters, finishing at 35 per cent.
The Storm were short-handed in the front court with Dominique Malonga missing her third straight game in concussion protocol. Veteran Ezi Magbegor has yet to play and Awa Fam, the recent No. 3 pick, just arrived in Seattle from Spain. There has been no announcement when Fam, who helped Valencia win the Spanish League championship, would make her debut.
To help Seattle, Joyner Holmes was signed earlier in the day and she had two points, five rebounds and three blocks in 15 minutes.
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Sun: At Golden State on Monday for the third game of a five-game western road trip.
Storm: Stay home for a second straight two-game set with Washington beginning Sunday.
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