Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high fives Dennis Schroder #8 against the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Jason Miller/Getty Images/AFP

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell has lacked his customary explosiveness and not looked like himself through three games of the Eastern Conference finals. Something seems off with the All-Star guard.

Same for the Cavaliers.

They may soon have time to heal. Like all summer.

READ: Knicks’ 10-game winning streak with a lot of NBA history happening

Cleveland is on the brink of elimination.

The Cavs couldn’t match New York’s force, firepower or balance despite being on their home floor and lost Game 3 to the Knicks 121-108 on Saturday night to fall into a perilous postseason hole in the best-of-seven series.

No team in NBA history has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit, and the Cavs aren’t showing signs of becoming the first in 164 tries.

Mitchell did what he could, scoring 23 points. But he didn’t have his burst and committed five of his team’s 18 turnovers as the Cavs couldn’t contain the Knicks, who were cheered on a by a raucous group of New York fans that invaded Rocket Arena.

Following the game, Mitchell sat in a chair behind the table before his media interview and stared blankly at a box score underscoring New York’s dominance.

READ: NBA scores today: Cavaliers vs Knicks – East finals Game 3

Asked what it’s going to take to avoid a sweep and win Game 4 on Monday night, Mitchell was succinct.

“Let’s start with making some shots,” he said. “Let’s start with getting some stops and making some free throws.”

Mitchell’s first trip to a conference final after so many second-round exits hasn’t gone as hoped. The Cavs, who were pushed to seven games by Toronto and Detroit earlier in the playoffs, blew a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.

They battled for much of Game 2 before fading and are now dragging physically after weeks of playing every other day. The Knicks, who had time to rest after sweeping Philadelphia in the second round, are taking advantage of Cleveland’s heavy legs.

“We did it to ourselves,” Mitchell said. “We can’t be mad now.”

Just as in the first two games, New York was the more aggressive team in the early going, jumping to a 9-1 lead in the opening two minutes and forcing Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson to call a timeout. The Cavs regrouped, but their sloppiness combined with New York’s ability to get out in transition and score proved too much.

“Their physicality and energy level was higher than ours,” Atkinson said. “They were the more physical team and we couldn’t get to that level. Whatever the stats say, they were the better team. They’re playing great basketball. They’re on a hell of a run and we haven’t been able to stop the momentum.”

READ: NBA Playoffs: Knicks near finals, grab 3-0 lead vs Cavaliers

The Cavs had seized it in the series opener before a stunning collapse that has already provided Mitchell with a lasting lesson.

“Don’t lose Game 1 after being up 22,” he said when asked about what’s soured his conference final debut. “But hey, it happened and now we have to find a way to get back from 3-0. We just have to find a way. We were up 22. It’s on us.”

In the closing minutes, thousands of blue-and-orange-clad New York fans were hollering “Knicks in 4!” and serenading Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who scored 30 points and added six assists, with chants of “M-V-P” at the foul line.

Those moments normally belong only to Mitchell in Cleveland. But the Knicks are taking everything away from the Cavs. Mitchell said the noise wasn’t unexpected.

“I’m from New York, this doesn’t shock me,” he said. “They do it in every arena. It’s like (Dallas) Cowboys fans. It’s just who they are. It wasn’t just a Cleveland thing. That’s how Knicks fans are. I was one back in the day. That had nothing to do with what’s going on in Cleveland. We didn’t get it done for our home crowd tonight.”

Before the game, Atkinson described Mitchell’s physical issues as merely “bumps and bruises.” The All-Star, who left the floor for treatment in the first quarter, is now dealing with the mental strain of a deficit that’s probably too large to overtake.

Mitchell, though, isn’t giving up.

“We have an opportunity to get one (win) on Monday,” he said. “Then go back to New York and get one there and come back here.”

The Minnesota Vikings probably shouldn’t trade too many of their draft picks from the next class — the 2027 rookies are supposed to be fantastic — but there’s always room to consider a deal or two. These are the swaps we’d recommend this summer.

Minnesota has a few roster spots worth monitoring, especially at EDGE, center, safety, and running back.

It’s also encouraging that Minnesota doesn’t have many whopping roster deficiencies. Still, we’d consider the following options.

A Few Sensible Trade Ideas Remain before Vikings Camp in July

Listed in no particular order, here’s the summer 2026 trade docket from VikingsTerritory.

1. 7th-Round Pick to ATL for Bralen Trice (OLB)

The Atlanta Falcons selected Trice in Round 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. To date, his career has been ravaged by injuries, so much so that he hasn’t played in a regular season game. He’s pitched a shutout — and not in a good way.

Naturally, the Falcons’ brass has proceeded in the last two offseasons as if Brice will never play. They’ve constructed EDGE depth as if he doesn’t exist, perhaps making him expendable.

The Vikings, meanwhile, don’t need a starting outside linebacker. They have Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner ready for duty. But trading a late-round pick for Trice — or signing him late August if he gets cut — might check some boxes.

Because of injuries, there’s no way to know if Trice is sitting on untapped potential. It’s worth a 7th-Rounder to find out.

2. Theo Jackson (S) to WAS for a 6th-Round Pick

Minnesota employs these safeties as of May 23rd:

• Josh Metellus
• Jay Ward
• Theo Jackson
• Jakobe Thomas
• Tavierre Thomas
• Kahlef Hailassie

This group will contain seven men if Harrison Smith returns for one more ride. And in 2025, the Vikings benched Jackson down the stretch in favor of Ward.

Ward could be a starting safety when Week 1 rolls around.

Therefore, Minnesota should trade Jackson to Washington if it knows he may be a release candidate in August. Why the Commanders? Washington hired Daronte Jones as its new defensive coordinator, and he worked as the Vikings’ defensive passing game coordinator. Jones knows Jackson. The Commanders could use a little bit of safety depth, especially someone Jones knows — like Jackson.

3. 6th-Round Pick to DAL for Matt Hennessy (C)

Hennessy was a 3rd-Round pick in 2020, and he has this Pro Football Focus resume:

2025: 71.8 PFF Grade | 175 Snaps
2024: 61.7 PFF Grade | 16 Snaps
2022: 75.4 PFF Grade | 157 Snaps
2021: 76.5 PFF Grade | 988 Snaps
2020: 47.0 PFF Grade | 225 Snaps

He’s 28 and has not been given a fair shake at center in five years — when he played wonderfully. Hennessy also won’t start this year in Dallas because the Cowboys have Cooper Beebe lined up for the job.

For a team that needs a center, Hennessy is worth a 6th- or 7th-Rounder. He may be more efficient than Blake Brandel.

4. 5th-Round Pick to ARI for Trey Benson (RB)

Do the Vikings have a full running back room? Yes. Should they take a flyer on Benson? Also yes.

Benson’s career has not taken off, as injuries have prevented his ascent. Now, he’s buried in Arizona, a part of this RB depth chart:

• Jeremiyah Love
• Tyler Allgeier
• James Conner
• Trey Benson
• Bam Knight
• Corey Kiner

It’s the Love-Allgeier-Conner show in the desert.

SI.com‘s Donnie Druin on Benson’s trade availability: “Benson is probably the most obvious trade candidate on the Cardinals after what transpired the last few months. Dealing with injuries and just simple inconsistent play, the Florida State product saw James Conner’s contract restructured and Tyler Allgeier signed in free agency before Arizona spent the third overall pick on Jeremiyah Love.”

“Now, Benson is RB4 on the depth chart and could be fighting for a roster spot with fellow running back Bam Knight, who has more special teams prowess than Benson. Of course injuries could change this dynamic, though the former Day 2 pick could be available for pennies on the dollar if the Cardinals were interested in getting something from Benson rather than cutting him.”

Like Trice at the top of the list, there’s also a chance that Benson gets released in a few months. The Vikings — and many teams — should give Benson a look.

He’s 23. Once upon a time, he was forecasted as a trustworthy RB1 prospect, especially in the dynasty fantasy football community.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Rico Verhoeven has spoken out on the controversial stoppage after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.

Verhoeven was challenging heavyweight king Usyk at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and despite most expecting a huge mismatch heading into the contest, the Dutchman appeared on the verge of arguably the biggest upset in the history of boxing.

The kickboxing legend did enough to win a lot of the rounds heading into the closing stages, with a below-par Usyk struggling to cope with his unorthodox opponent.

Usyk finally found the shot he needed when he dropped his rival at the end of round 11, and while Verhoeven managed to get up, a further onslaught from the Ukrainian led to referee Mark Lyson stopping the bout. Many fans – and Verhoevens team – were incensed by the decision.

Post-fight, Verhoeven shared his thoughts on Lyson waving off the action, saying that he felt he deserved to go on for longer.

“I thought it was an early stoppage. It’s not up to me. I believe the referee knows that we’re almost at the end of the round, or let me go out on my shield or let the bell go…it was close and I thought we were equal on the scorecards.”

Vehoeven was then humble when asked if he deserved a rematch.

“It’s not up to me, it’s up to the organisation, let’s see what happens.”

Whether a second encounter could indeed happen remains to be seen, as the WBC has previously ordered Usyk to face mandatory challenger, Agit Kabayel, next, or risk being stripped of his belt.

Across the Channel, Pep Guardiola is gearing up for what will be his final match as manager of Manchester City after a trophy-laden decade in charge. The 55-year-old announced his decision on Friday morning, a couple of days before the final-day reception of Aston Villa.

Lyon will be looking to reclaim their women’s Champions League crown when they take on Barcelona in Saturday’s final in Oslo. The French giants, who have not been continental champions since their eighth title in 2022, will look to get their own back after losing to the Catalans in the 2024 final.

In basketball, the Euroleague final four saw hosts Olympiacos fend off Fenerbahçe in what was a duel between French veterans Evan Fournier and Nando De Colo. The Greek side will take on 11-time winners Real Madrid in Sunday’s final.

With the Minnesota Vikings’ regular season kicking off on Sept. 13 in Minneapolis against the Green Bay Packers, and training camp less than 10 weeks away, the full schedule is finally set. Along the way, VikingsTerritory returns with the latest chatter from the rumor mill.

Minnesota’s rumor mill has fresh material on a Giants pass rusher, its new quarterback, and a former Vikings defender.

As June approaches, this marks the second of our two weekly rumor batches of the weekend.

A Splashy Trade Idea Leads the Latest Vikings Rumors

The Purple Rumor Mill for May 24th, 2026.

Rumor: If Kayvon Thibodeaux is gettable via trade, the Vikings should inquire.

Fansided‘s Jake Beckman pinpointed one trade candidate per NFL squad this week, and on Thibodeaux to Minnesota, he wrote, “The Vikings traded Johnathon Greenard to the Eagles during the draft, and now they’re going to be missing out on a whole lot of snaps and even more production. Luckily for them, the Giants are sitting there with a plethora of defensive ends and edge rushers.”

“New York might be saying that they’re not going to trade Kayvon Thibodeaux, but that’s what every team says, so they don’t lose leverage in any potential trades. If the Vikings wanted to go and get him, they’d definitely be able to… However, if you’re a Vikings fan, that’s probably not what you want.”

In 2022, Thibodeaux was considered one of the next premium EDGEs in the league.

Beckman continued, “Sure, Thibodeaux would end up being awesome, but I don’t necessarily want my team to make any trades when they don’t have a general manager. Especially after they just traded a player like Greenard for the low price of two third-round picks.”

Trading for Thibodeaux would be wonderful for the Vikings — if they can find the cap space for his eventual extension. They could not do that for Greenard. How would Thibodeaux be different?

Rumor: Warren Moon questions Kyler Murray’s motivation, though he thinks Murray can play well in MIN.

Moon chatted with Kay Adams this week and wasn’t shy, delivering bittersweet takes about Murray: “He never looks like he’s motivated. Maybe he is inside, but he just doesn’t give you that demeanor. He doesn’t give you that demeanor. I hope he’s learned over the last couple of years, with all the criticism that he’s taken, with the injuries that he’s gone through. I have to give more of myself to my football team.”

“I have to show people more about what I’m feeling and thinking. You have to do that as a quarterback in order to get people to follow you. Murray is so dynamic. He makes so many plays that you go, ‘Wow.’ And then, all of a sudden, he goes through phases where he doesn’t even look like the same guy.”

The Vikings signed Murray in March to a $1.3 million 2026 contract, a steal of a deal for a productive starting quarterback.

Moon added, “I hope that coming into this situation, he’s re-motivated to show what he can do. He’s been out of the game for a while with injury. He’s going to a great place with a great coaching staff, and he has really excellent weapons to throw the football to. It’s all in his possession if he wants it.”

“But J.J. McCarthy is right there, too. I don’t think he’s going to make it easy.”

This is a familiar Murray grievance: some think he’s a lazy videogame player who doesn’t truly love football. He’ll have to beat those allegations as early as now.

Rumor: Patrick Jones may not make the roster cut down in Carolina.

Maurice Moton at Bleacher Report decided to size up a surprise cut casualty for each NFL team last week, and in Carolina, Jones II got the unfortunate honor.

He explained, “The Carolina Panthers signed a top-tier free agent in Jaelan Phillips. He’ll likely start opposite Nic Scourton on the edge. As a third-rounder from the 2025 draft, Princely Umanmielen could see more time on the field in his second year.”

“With an established pass-rusher and two high-upside outside linebackers on the depth chart, Patrick Jones II may be in a battle for a limited role after he missed 13 games with a back injury last season. Don’t be surprised if Carolina cuts him and saves $4.75 million in cap space.”

For Minnesota, Moton nominated veteran safety Theo Jackson as the roster-cut surprise.

Not for nothing, if Moton is right and the Panthers drop Jones II, he could end up back in Minnesota for OLB3 or OLB4 duty. That’s possible.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Novak Djokovic will headline the opening day of Roland Garros on Sunday as the 24-time Grand Slam champion begins his latest tilt at history.

Lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a fourth time would send the 39-year-old clear as the player with the most major titles.

Djokovic’s last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, and every subsequent major has been claimed by tennis’ two new dominant forces—Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

With double-defending champion Alcaraz missing through injury, Djokovic will enter his first-round match in the night session on Stade Philippe Chatrier against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard knowing this may well be his best chance of claiming a record-breaking 25th crown.

“It’s been a lot of hours spent on the court and trying to perfect the game and the body and enable myself physically and game-wise to be ready for best of five (sets),” Djokovic told reporters Friday of his preparations as he returns from a shoulder issue.

“Let’s see. I don’t know whether that’s going to be the case for the entire tournament, however long that tournament will be for me.

“But Grand Slams have been, and I have said this many times, always the priority list, particularly in the last couple of years… So I can’t wait to get on a court and start competing.”

The third-seeded Serb enters the tournament with little match practice on clay after only competing in the Italian Open, where he was eliminated in his opening match earlier this month.

Djokovic is a different beast when it comes to Grand Slams. Despite his reduced participation in ATP tournaments in recent years, he has nonetheless reached at least the semi-finals at each of the past five majors.

He has, however, been handed a tough draw in the French capital.

First on the menu is former world number 29 Mpetshi Perricard, who, in addition to having one of the biggest serves on the tour, will also enjoy raucous home backing on Roland Garros’ centre court.

Second seed Alexander Zverev will also be in action on the opening day as the German faces home hope Benjamin Bonzi.

Rising stars Joao Fonseca of Brazil and Czech Jakub Mensik will both open their bids on Court Simonne Mathieu.

‘Never tricky’

Russia’s Mirra Andreeva will be the highest-ranked woman playing on Sunday. The eighth seed meets French wildcard Fiona Ferro on Philippe Chatrier.

“Of course it’s never tricky to play a French player, especially in Paris,” Andreeva joked.

“Because obviously the crowd is gonna support her as much as they can, and that’s totally okay. I mean, I have some experience even from last year when I played quarters, so I pretty much know what to expect.”

Last year, the 19-year-old stormed through to the last eight before falling to French sensation Lois Boisson in a match in which Andreeva received a warning from the umpire for blasting the ball into the crowd.

Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic will open play for the tournament on Philippe Chatrier against Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.

Former Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin, Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu all start their French Open campaigns too.

Lilli Tagger of Austria, the 2025 junior champion who has drawn comparisons to four-time Roland Garros winner Justine Henin for her elegant single-handed backhand, will make her bow in the senior draw on court nine against Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

The Delhi High Court has directed that wrestler Vinesh Phogat be allowed to participate in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials scheduled for May 30 and 31. The Court also ordered that the trials be video-recorded and monitored by independent observers from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

A Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the directions while hearing Phogat’s appeal against an interim order of a single judge Bench, which had not granted her interim relief in the pending writ petition challenging the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) selection policy and a show cause notice issued against her.

The Court directed that Phogat shall be permitted to participate in the selection trials, the entire process shall be video-recorded by WFI, and two independent observers nominated by SAI and IOA shall oversee the trials and submit a report before the Single Judge hearing the matter.

While granting interim relief, the Bench made significant observations on maternity rights of female athletes. The Court observed that motherhood cannot be treated as a professional impediment or a circumstance warranting adverse treatment. It further said that a legal or regulatory framework that disadvantages a woman athlete due to pregnancy or post-partum recovery would violate the principles of equality and dignity under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

The Bench noted that female athletes face extraordinary physical challenges during pregnancy and the post-partum period, which are often insufficiently acknowledged in sporting frameworks. The Court said motherhood deserves accommodation and institutional sensitivity, and should not become a ground for exclusion or marginalisation.

Phogat had challenged the WFI’s Asian Games Selection Policy dated February 25, 2026 and a subsequent circular dated May 6, 2026, which restricted eligibility for the selection trials to medal winners from specified domestic tournaments conducted in 2025 and 2026.

According to the order, Phogat had informed the International Testing Agency (ITA) in December 2024 that she was taking a sabbatical on account of pregnancy and intended to return to competition later. She gave birth to her first child in July 2025 and resumed training thereafter. The ITA subsequently confirmed that she would be eligible to compete from January 1, 2026 onwards.

The Court observed that because of her maternity-related absence, Phogat could not participate in the championships that formed the basis for eligibility under the WFI policy, resulting in her exclusion from the selection trials. The Bench prima facie found the policy and circular to be arbitrary and discriminatory as they restricted participation only to medal winners from specific events, thereby excluding athletes like Phogat.

The Court also made strong remarks against the observations made by WFI in the show-cause notice issued to Phogat over the Paris Olympics 2024 weigh-in controversy. Referring to remarks describing the incident as a “national embarrassment,” the Bench termed such observations “deplorable” and said they appeared vindictive and premeditated, particularly when the Court of Arbitration for Sport had already observed that there was no wrongdoing on Phogat’s part. (ANI)

At the same time, the Division Bench clarified that it had not expressed any final opinion on the merits of the case and that the pending writ petition before the Single Judge would be decided independently on its own merits.

The New York Knicks took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday as the franchise eyes its first NBA Finals berth since 1999.

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points to lead New York to a 121-108 win over Cleveland, while Mikal Bridges added 22 as the Knicks never trailed in Game 3.

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The New York Knicks bench reacts during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game three of the Eastern Conference finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 23, 2026. (David Richard/Imagn Images)

New York is the seventh team in NBA history to win at least 10 straight during a postseason run. The last team to do it was the Boston Celtics, who also went on a 10-game run on their way to the 2024 title.

All but one of the Knicks’ wins have been by double digits, with an average margin of victory of 22.5 points.

Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell finished with 23 points in 38 minutes, while teammate James Harden added 21. Cleveland shot 12 of 41 from 3-point range and 12 of 19 from the foul line.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against  New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) during the first quarter in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Cleveland rallied and tied it at 50-all on a jumper by Harden before the Knicks countered with a 10-1 run. They went into halftime with a 60-54 advantage.

THUNDER ERASE 15-POINT DEFICIT TO TAKE SERIES LEAD OVER SPURS AS VICTOR WEMBANYAMA’S 26 POINTS FALL SHORT

Music superstar Taylor Swift was courtside for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night alongside fiancé and Ohio native Travis Kelce.

Swift and Kelce, who recently signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, took their seats in Rocket Arena shortly before the opening tip.

Singer Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce attend Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 23, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

With the Cavs trailing 91-82 at the end of the third quarter, Kelce and Swift were shown on the arena’s giant scoreboard. Fans cheered wildly as Kelce showed off his team cap and wine-and-gold shirt.

Game 4 is set for Monday night at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. The series will return to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Wednesday, if necessary.

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Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs will host the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 on Sunday night. Oklahoma City enters the matchup with a 2-1 series lead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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