Jaxson Hayes had the most graphic story about Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury
Jaxson Hayes is probably not a big fan of slasher films.
While talking to reporters on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers big man Hayes offered a striking description of Jarred Vanderbilt’s hand injury.
“I mean, did you see the picture of his finger? It was disgusting. Bro, his whole bone was out of his skin,” Hayes said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Vanderbilt dislocated his pinkie finger in Game 1 of the Lakers’ second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., while trying to challenge Chet Holmgren’s dunk attempt. The former Kentucky Wildcats star exited the contest and did not return.
Vanderbilt needed stitches for his injured finger, and it remains unclear whether he will play again in the playoffs. Interestingly enough, the Lakers have not yet ruled Vanderbilt out for Thursday’s Game 2 against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
The Lakers need all hands on deck if they are to pull off a stunning series upset against the reigning NBA champions, but their lineup seems to get even thinner because of Vanderbilt’s injury.
Hayes, who came off the bench in Game 1 and had 3 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes, could see more minutes on the court given Vanderbilt’s situation.
Fans blast Draymond Green for his inaccurate Charles Barkley insult
Draymond Green could use some of his downtime brushing up on his NBA history.
While discussing the intriguing future of the Golden State Warriors during Wednesday’s edition of “Inside the NBA,” Charles Barkley bluntly declared that the Dubs era is over, noting that “nobody wins when they’re 37, 38,” with Green listening.
The former Defensive Player of the Year responded to Barkley’s point by taking a jab at the Basketball Hall of Famer’s career.
“I think the goal is just to not look like you in a Houston Rockets uniform,” Green said.
Here is the video of the exchange.
Things got a little tense on the 'Inside the NBA set when Draymond took a shot at Chuck's final years in Houston 😬 pic.twitter.com/g9xRH5H6qq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 6, 2026
While it’s true that Barkley spent his final years rocking Rockets colors, he was not terrible during his time with Houston, as Green seemed to insinuate. His statement sparked fierce backlash, with fans pointing out how wrong he was to think that Barkley had been reduced to a nobody during the twilight of the former league MVP’s NBA career.
Barkleys Houston stats vs Draymond’s last ten seasons: pic.twitter.com/KrVJTOQKC8
— Mullahhhh (@RealDreTay) May 6, 2026
"The goal is to not look like your last year in Houston"
— BossHogg (@6Hogg6) May 7, 2026
Barkley's last year in Houston:
14.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg
Draymond's Career Highs:
14.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg
Barkley in his final year averaged more ppg and rpg than draymond ever has in his career
— Happy Time Harry 🇵🇸 🇭🇹 (@HappyT1meHarry) May 7, 2026
For context Barkley averaged 15, 11, 3 his last year in the NBA. Draymond has never in his career averaged more than 15 points or 10 rebounds.
— Lil Joshy (@ItIsRalphTho) May 7, 2026
Barkley spent his first eight seasons in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers and was an All-Star in six of those campaigns. He continued to enjoy superstar status with the Phoenix Suns for four seasons, even winning the MVP award in the 1992-93 season and leading the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance in the same season.
For the record, Barkley averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 163 games with the Rockets. Most players would love to have a career as good as Sir Charles’ during his Rockets years.
Green has a great NBA career, but individually, he can’t touch Barkley.
Broncos emerge as possible landing spot for QB known for a notorious game
The Denver Broncos are giving a veteran backup quarterback a chance.
Mike Klis of KUSA-TV reported on Wednesday that the Broncos have invited quarterback Nathan Peterman as a tryout in the team’s rookie minicamp.
Peterman, who turned 32 years old on Monday, hasn’t seen action in an NFL game since the 2023 season with the Chicago Bears. He signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints after his stint with Chicago, then landed with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Atlanta Falcons.
The former Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback started his NFL journey as a fifth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2017 draft, but he is perhaps best remembered by football fans for his atrocious performance during a start in his rookie season.
During the first half of a game between the Bills and the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2017 campaign, Peterman threw a total of five interceptions. It is arguably the worst half ever by an NFL quarterback.
There is no assurance that Peterman will get signed by the Broncos, who have Bo Nix as their clear No. 1 quarterback. Still, he would likely welcome any opportunity to make a good impression and compete for a contract and roster spot for the 2026 NFL season.
Hailey Van Lith lands with a new team after getting cut by the Chicago Sky
It didn’t take long for Hailey Van Lith to find a landing spot after her release from the Chicago Sky.
After playing her rookie season in the WNBA with the Sky, Van Lith is taking her talents to the Connecticut Sun, who were awarded the waiver claim on the former TCU Horned Frogs star.
The Sun announced this development on Wednesday.
Welcome to Connecticut, Hailey☀️
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) May 6, 2026
The Connecticut Sun have been awarded Hailey Van Lith on a waiver claim. #GetClose | #CTSun pic.twitter.com/KIR2Uwp2qL
Things did not pan out for Van Lith during her one-year stint with the Sky. In the 2025 campaign, she averaged just 3.5 points per game, though she also played in only 12.4 minutes through 29 games. Van Lith never started a game for Chicago, which selected her 11th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The 24-year-old guard appeared to be on the right track with the Sky heading into the 2026 season when she averaged 12.5 points on 71.4% shooting from the field and 4.5 assists in two preseason games.
Instead, Van Lith is set to begin a new chapter in her WNBA career, as she looks to help the Sun finish strong in Connecticut before the franchise’s relocation to Houston in 2027.
Van Lith could make her debut for the Sun as soon as Friday, when they open their 2026 season against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jaylen Brown is reportedly frustrated with the Celtics
Jaylen Brown’s year of discontent continues.
The Boston Celtics star Brown is unhappy with the the team, retired Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady claimed this week. During an episode of the “Cousins” podcast, McGrady said that Brown has some deep frustrations with the Celtics organization.
“His frustration lies deeply within the organization and other things that we don’t really have the details to,” said McGrady of Brown. “There’s just been a lot of stuff that I’ve been hearing, just going on with the Boston organization with JB.
“I think part of him is like, ‘I showed you guys more of who I am as a basketball player,’” McGrady added. “So I think all that stuff just came into play with him and his frustration.”
Brown, 29, is a lifelong Celtic who has been with the team for his entire NBA career since 2016 and won the championship with them in 2024 as the NBA Finals MVP. Additionally, Brown has made five All-Star teams in Boston and just turned in a career season as the No. 1 option in Jayson Tatum’s extended injury absence (averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game).
But the Celtics then blew a 3-1 lead to lose in the first round to the Philadelphia 76ers. Brown was openly frustrated about a lot of things all year, from the officiating to his supposedly being snubbed for NBA awards. Now it appears that there are some other unidentified issues between the Celtics and Brown, who remains under contract through the 2028-29 NBA season.
Spurs’ Devin Vassell made the craziest 3-pointer of the playoffs
Devin Vassell invented a brand-new way to make a three-pointer this week.
Vassell and the San Antonio Spurs had an evening to remember in Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. In front of their home crowd at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, the Spurs cruised to a 133-95 beatdown of the Timberwolves to tie their second-round series at one game apiece.
A particularly glowing moment for San Antonio came in the third quarter of the contest. With the shot clock winding down, Spurs forward Julian Champagnie was going up to shoot but lost control of the ball.
Champagnie then recovered possession and shoveled the ball over to his teammate Vassell, who was standing in the corner. Vassell then leapt up and hit a miraculous 3 as the shot clock expired.
No-dip 3 in the air
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 7, 2026
Devin Vassell is cold for this pic.twitter.com/7umscxcghQ
A “no-dip 3” is an increasingly popular move in today’s NBA where players catch a pass and then immediately shoot a three-pointer in the same motion without taking time to gather the ball first. That allows for a quicker release against the contest of an approaching defender.
But Vassell put his own twist on it during Wednesday’s game by somehow pulling off the “no-dip 3” while in mid-air. Vassell finished Game 2 with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists in just 22 minutes of action and also made the wildest three-pointer that we have seen in the NBA since this one from a few years ago.
Fans rip Nick Nurse for 1 decision in 76ers’ Game 2 loss to the Knicks
Nick Nurse lost the plot down the stretch of Game 2.
The Philadelphia 76ers fell into an 0-2 hole on Wednesday with a 108-102 loss to the New York Knicks. Philly lost a teeter-totter battle at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. after the Knicks closed the game on a late 12-3 run.
One particular decision by the 76ers head coach Nurse drew scrutiny online. With Knicks star Jalen Brunson making multiple clutch midrange jumpers off single coverage down the stretch, many fans questioned why Nurse chose not to throw a double team at Brunson.
How do you just let Brunson iso in the middle of the floor with no help. Nurse is slow bruh.
— (@TheWestbrookEra) May 7, 2026
NURSE DIDNT THINK ABOUT DOUBLING BRUNSON 3 POSSESSIONS AGO????
— the milkman (@iLowkeyB__) May 7, 2026
76ers not doubling Brunson off the screen lol
— Sonny (@RoadDogShoota) May 7, 2026
Nurse gotta make Brunson give it up late in the clock!
— Tall Pines (@jayathlete) May 7, 2026
In the earlier stages of Game 2, the 76ers actually blitzed Brunson off pick-and-rolls far more often than in Game 1. But during the most crucial stages of Wednesday’s game, Nurse decided to go back to defending Brunson one-on-one … to very poor results.
In fairness, Philadelphia was playing without Joel Embiid (ankle, hip) in Game 2. That meant Nurse had to get creative with a shortened rotation and was forced to change up strategies and coverages on the fly.
But the former NBA champion head coach Nurse is still behind the 8-ball in his second season with the 76ers. He went a miserable 24-58 with Philadelphia last year and now has a lot riding on this year’s playoffs (though Nurse did gain praise from some high-profile figures after the 76ers’ first-round victory over the Boston Celtics).
Report: Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini rented a boat together while she was pregnant
The Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal has taken another twist.
Vrabel, the New England Patriots head coach, and Russini, the former reporter for The Athletic, rented a private boat together back in June 2021, according to a report on Wednesday by TMZ Sports. The outlet obtained a copy this week of the alleged booking documents showing that Vrabel and Russini rented out the vessel together in Putnam County, Tenn. and were the only two people onboard for the two-to-three-hour boat ride.
Additionally, TMZ Sports adds that Vrabel, who was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans at the time, and Russini, who was pregnant with her first child with husband Kevin Goldschmidt, both signed the company waiver before heading onto the boat together. You can read TMZ’s full report on the situation here.
It has been roughly a month now since Vrabel and Russini were spotted in pictures holding hands and hugging at a resort in Arizona. While both Vrabel and Russini denied that anything inappropriate occurred between them at the time, additional details have surfaced in recent weeks painting a picture of a seemingly intimate relationship.
A couple of weeks ago, photos from March 2020 showed Vrabel and Russini cozying up to each other at a local bar. Then just days later, we learned that Russini had apparently made a Spotify playlist for Vrabel in 2022.
Russini would go on to resign from her job at The Athletic in the wake of the scandal. Meanwhile, Vrabel recently took a leave of absence from his position as head coach to attend counseling but has since returned and continues to be publicly supported by the Patriots.
Details emerge on ‘inappropriate’ behavior that led to firing of Tigers’ AAA manager
Details have surfaced on what led to this week’s unexpected firing of Gabe Alvarez.
The Detroit Tigers announced abruptly on Tuesday that they had fired Alvarez, the manager of their Triple-A affiliate the Toledo Mud Hens. Details were initially scarce, except for the Tigers noting that Alvarez had been terminated for an undisclosed violation of club policy.
On Wednesday, Alvarez spoke to Jeff Passan of ESPN and revealed why he was fired. Alvarez said that he sent an “inappropriate” message to a female colleague.
“I sent a single text message to a colleague that I intended as a lighthearted joke,” Alvarez was quoted as saying. “Shortly after sending it, I recognized that the message was inappropriate and did not reflect the values and judgment I strive to uphold, and I immediately reached out to clarify my intent.
“I never intended to cause discomfort or offense, and I regret that the message created this situation,” continued Alvarez. “This was an isolated incident and not reflective of my long-standing record of professionalism, respect for colleagues, and conduct over the course of my career.”
The 52-year-old Alvarez was in his second season as the manager of the Mud Hens after initially joining the Tigers organization in 2022. Passan’s report adds that Alvarez had a clean file with the Tigers’ HR department prior to his termination this week.
However, the Tigers have already had a number of sexual harassment scandals in recent years. Most notably, their former assistant general manager Sam Menzin was allegedly caught sending graphic photos to female employees prior to his resignation in 2025.
Paul George upsets 76ers teammate with a bad shot at end of Game 2 loss
Playoff P unfortunately struck again in Game 2.
Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George had an unflattering viral moment at the end of his team’s playoff game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday. With 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., the 76ers had possession but were trailing the Knicks 107-102.
George took a dribble handoff from Philadelphia teammate VJ Edgecombe and immediately shot an ill-advised contested three-pointer. The attempt ended up airballing and effectively sealed the 76ers’ fate as they went on to lose 108-102 to fall into an 0-2 hole in the second round series.
As the two teams walked back up the floor after the dead ball, Philly guard Quentin Grimes was seen trading some heated words with George. Grimes was (understandably) upset with George’s shot selection there.
Here is the video of the full sequence.
Quentin Grimes COULDN'T BELIEVE Paul George chucked up an off balance airball with the game on the line pic.twitter.com/L3j5uIjUyA
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 7, 2026
The nine-time All-Star George was not entirely terrible on Wednesday, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks on 7/18 shooting. But moments like that (along with George’s drug suspension earlier in the year) illustrate why the 36-year-old has not at all lived up to the $212 million contract that the 76ers gave him a couple of years ago.
Luka Doncic reveals how severe his hamstring strain really was
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic spoke publicly about his hamstring strain for the first time on Wednesday and offered a clue about just how significant the injury was.
Doncic admitted he is still unsure when he will be able to return to action after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2. He told reporters that he was originally told that he would be out for eight weeks when he suffered the injury.
“The day I did the MRI on the hamstring, the doctor told me eight weeks [recovery] at the beginning,” Doncic said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m doing everything I can in the process, and I think we’re on a good way. But at the beginning, he told me eight weeks.”
Doncic added that he was doing “everything I can” to get back at some point during the Lakers’ Western Conference Semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If Doncic returns at any point in the playoffs, it would probably count as being ahead of schedule. An eight-week injury in early April would mean Doncic would not have been expected to return until sometime in early June. That simply is not an option, since the shorthanded Lakers would almost certainly need him to ensure they are still playing at that point.
Doncic still has not started any contact drills, suggesting he is still pretty far from a return. As much as he would love to get back into action, it does not sound imminent.
MLB announces punishment for Framber Valdez
Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez will have to sit for a while after Major League Baseball determined that he intentionally threw at a batter in Tuesday’s game.
Valdez has received a six-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday, the league announced. Tigers manager AJ Hinch also received a one-game suspension, as is customary in situations where a pitcher is deemed to have thrown at a batter.
6-game suspension for Framber Valdez
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) May 6, 2026
1-game suspension for A.J. Hinch, which is fairly common in these situations. Hinch will serve his suspension tonight. pic.twitter.com/z6vunEQx9W
Valdez hit Story with a pitch immediately after giving up back-to-back home runs in the 4th inning of the Tigers’ 10-3 loss to Boston. Story was certain it was intentional, and even Hinch did not defend his pitcher after the game.
AJ Hinch: "We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn't feel like it. I'm not judging intent. But I know when you go out on the field in those confrontations, you usually feel like you are in your right. It didn't feel good being out there."
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) May 6, 2026
Valdez denied that he had thrown at Story, but the league saw things differently. The suspension will cost him his next scheduled start.
The Tigers need Valdez to step up after the loss of Tarik Skubal to a long-term injury. They will not be happy with how he handled this entire situation.
Jaguars make their plans for Travis Hunter very clear
The Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday addressed speculation about Travis Hunter’s positional future.
In an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was asked if Hunter will still be a two-way player next season amid speculation that he might be primarily used as a defensive back in 2026. While Gladstone admitted the team plans to increase his usage as a cornerback, he was adamant that Hunter will remain a two-way player moving forward.
“Absolutely not. He is set to play both sides of the ball,” Gladstone said when asked if the two-way experiment was over. “The piece that I think we can expect to see is actually an uptick in corner usage. Last year, it was a higher volume, higher percentage of wide receiver usage than it was corner. I think we can expect to see that corner count go up moving forward. That’s not to say anything impacts his availability and usage on offense. It just means that cornerback usage will increase.”
💻 James Gladstone
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) May 6, 2026
What is the plan for Travis Hunter in year 2, fully healthy? Is he just a defensive back now?#NFL #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/vItq3V2eS6
One offseason report characterized Hunter’s projected role as “full-time corner and part-time receiver.” Hunter himself has suggested that he and the team see things differently, though we will not actually know until he starts seeing game action.
Hunter remains adamant that he can play on both sides of the ball in the NFL and excel at it. Many others have their doubts about whether he will be able to hold up. The Jaguars may share those doubts, but they will also want to keep Hunter happy, which could lead to a delicate balancing act.
Bryson DeChambeau reveals his plans if LIV Golf shuts down
Bryson DeChambeau is one of a number of golfers whose plans for the future are suddenly uncertain amid LIV Golf’s possible shutdown.
LIV’s future is murky after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced last week that it would no longer provide backing to the breakaway golf league. DeChambeau, who made the jump to the league in 2022, said he has had preliminary talks about returning to the PGA Tour, but he has other plans if he finds himself without an organized circuit to play on.
“I think, from my perspective, I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more,” DeChambeau said Tuesday, via Mark Schlabach of ESPN. “I would love to. I’d love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube. And then I’d love to play tournaments that want me.”
DeChambeau boasts 2.69 million subscribers on YouTube, so he would be looking at a goal of over six million if he went this path. Interestingly, actually playing competitively does not appear to be one of his top priorities, even if it is something he would undoubtedly prefer to do.
Admittedly, DeChambeau did not exactly seem to be having a great time during some recent events. Maybe he won’t miss LIV that much.
Kurt Warner’s son lands NFL rookie camp invitation
EJ Warner, the son of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, has landed an invitation to an NFL rookie minicamp.
Warner has accepted an invitation to the Denver Broncos’ rookie camp set for this week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. This comes after he previously got a look at the Kansas City Chiefs’ rookie minicamp.
Kurt Warner said he is “excited” for his son to get the opportunity, and that EJ just wants a chance to show that he can perform in the NFL.
Just talked to Kurt Warner on QB son E.J. Warner of Fresno State going to #Broncos rookie minicamp as tryout player “I’m excited. Like so many of these other kids coming out of college, he’s just trying to find an opportunity to show people that they can perform at the NFL level"
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) May 6, 2026
EJ Warner played at Temple and Rice in college before finishing his career at Fresno State last season. He threw for 2,030 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for the Bulldogs as a senior.
Warner is ultimately a longshot to catch on in the NFL, but the same could have been said for his father. It certainly does not speak poorly of him that the likes of Andy Reid and Sean Payton want a look at him, either.
Russell Wilson says he has an NFL contract offer
Russell Wilson is not shutting the door on his NFL career just yet.
Wilson revealed Wednesday that the New York Jets made him a contract offer during his recent visit to the team. He also confirmed that he has an opportunity to go into TV work, and is still deciding between the two.
“They offered me, and I’m trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do,” Wilson said, via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I still know I can play ball at a high level, but also I have an opportunity to do TV, so we’ll see what happens.”
Wilson visited with the Jets a week ago, but left without signing. The fact that he even had a contract offer was not previously known publicly. Since then, it has emerged that CBS is targeting him for a TV job, which he appears to be strongly considering.
Either opportunity would likely be a lucrative one for Wilson, though we have no idea what sort of contract he was offered by the Jets. Obviously, it wasn’t good enough to get him to sign immediately. The 37-year-old would be signing up for a backup job to Geno Smith, which may not be terribly appealing to him at this point in his career.
Wilson played in six games for the New York Giants last season, going 0-3 as a starter with three touchdown passes and three interceptions.
Lane Kiffin responds to Brian Kelly’s son getting job at Ole Miss
The son of the man Lane Kiffin replaced at LSU will be coaching at the school Kiffin just left next season.
Patrick Kelly, son of former LSU coach Brian Kelly, has accepted a job as assistant director of football support at Ole Miss, according to his X bio. The hire drew a reaction from Kiffin, who offered his congratulations.
Congrats 🎉 https://t.co/5mITlbBEL7
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) May 6, 2026
Kelly had previously worked for his father at LSU as a football support and operations coordinator. He has also worked as an offensive graduate assistant and as a recruiting specialist. This will be his first job working for someone other than his father.
Ole Miss is staffing up under new head coach Pete Golding, who replaced Kiffin late last season. This is not the first time Golding has poached a member of Kelly’s old LSU staff.
Given the circumstances of Kiffin’s departure, meetings between Ole Miss and LSU are likely to be on the awkward side for the foreseeable future. This just adds another element of that. Kiffin certainly won’t be bothered by it.
Astros get brutal injury update on Carlos Correa
The Houston Astros will not have Carlos Correa for the remainder of the season.
Correa will undergo surgery on a torn tendon in his left ankle, he confirmed Wednesday. The procedure will end his season and keep him out for six to eight months.
Carlos Correa needs season-ending surgery on a torn tendon in his left ankle. Recovery is 6-8 months, he said.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 6, 2026
Correa sustained the injury on Tuesday during batting practice. It was immediately suggested that it would be a serious issue, though presumably the Astros had been hoping it would not be season-ending.
This is just the latest blow for an Astros team that has had little go right for them this season. They sit at 15-22 and have been hit hard by injuries, with the likes of Hunter Brown and Jeremy Pena also on the shelf.
Correa had been a key figure in the middle of Houston’s order as the team tried to stay afloat. Through 32 games this season, he hit .279 at the plate with 3 home runs and a .787 OPS.
Ankle concerns are nothing new for Correa. Worries about the long-term health of his right ankle led to a pair of $300 million free agent contracts being voided in 2022, though it is the left ankle that will cost him the rest of the season now.
Chiney Ogwumike calls out LeBron James’ teammates after Game 1 loss to the Thunder
LeBron James needed help that didn’t arrive in Game 1 of the Los Angeles Lakers’ second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Facing the reigning NBA champions and still without their highest-scoring weapon, the Lakers needed to rely heavily again on James in a series-opener in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
James responded to the challenge, but the same can’t be said about his teammates, who were called out by ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike while speaking to Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter after the game.
“This man[James] invests a million dollars in his body every year. The professionalism for him to show up and also capitalize on what the Thunder gave. I was thoroughly impressed with LeBron James,” Ogwumike said before turning her attention to the other Lakers players
“Everyone else has to raise their game. The Deandre Aytons, the Rui Hachimuras, again, the Austin Reaves, those guys have to be top tier for them to have any sort of a chance.”
"I was thoroughly impressed with LeBron James. Everyone else has to raise their game." 🗣️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 6, 2026
–@chiney on the Lakers' Game 1 loss to the Thunder. pic.twitter.com/3rwGFHW2bY
The 41-year-old James led all scorers in the game with 27 points, shooting at an efficient 12/17 from the floor, while adding 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
Hachimura provided 18 points for the Lakers, but Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Austin Reaves combined for 30 points on a horrid 12/43 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Luke Kennard, who had his moments in the first round against the Houston Rockets, took just four shots and finished with 7 points.
The Lakers are clearly feeling the absence of Luka Doncic, who has yet to play in the playoffs because of a hamstring injury he suffered in an April 2 game against the Thunder.
James can’t carry the Lakers alone like he used to. In Game 2 on Thursday, the production from his supporting cast will once again be a major point of emphasis.
Video: Brent Burns accidentally strikes Kirill Kaprizov in the groin with his skate
Minnesota Wild Kirill Kaprizov nearly had a nightmarish injury on Tuesday.
During Game 2 of the second-round series between the Wild and the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., Kaprizov was accidentally hit in the groin by Avs veteran blueliner Brent Burns’ skate.
The two were battling it out for the puck along the boards when Burns tried to kick the puck. However, his skate struck Kaprizov’s groin area instead, leaving the Wild star forward grimacing in pain.
Here is the video of that moment.
Brent Burns was trying to kick the puck away, missed, and kicked Kirill Kaprizov in a sensitive area 😭😵💫 pic.twitter.com/RZDPKyPGwY
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 6, 2026
That dangerous moment further underscored the inherent risk of playing a high-contact sport involving sharp blades. Kaprizov can also thank the protective layers for preventing Burns’ skate from puncturing him in the sensitive area. It easily could have been much more serious.
The Wild can’t afford to lose Kaprizov, especially with the situation they are in.
Minnesota is being totally outclassed by the Avalanche in the series. Colorado has scored 14 times through two games, while the Wild have scored 8 goals.
Kaprizov, who scored a goal in Game 2, will be counted upon by the Wild to deliver again in Game 3 on Saturday at Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minn., as they look to avoid a 3-0 series deficit.
