White Sox rookie’s first home run comes from inside the park
Sam Antonacci did not have any time for a celebratory trot around the bases for his first home run. The Chicago White Sox rookie had to earn it the hard way on Tuesday night.
Antonnaci suited up for just the sixth MLB game of his career on Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. He came up to the plate in the top of the 9th inning with a man on first and nobody out against D-Backs reliever Ryan Thompson.
The White Sox left fielder smacked a 1-1 sinker down the left-field line for what was guaranteed to be extra bases. Antonnaci got more than that, recording an inside-the-park home run as the first home run of his career.
This play was WILD 🤯
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) April 22, 2026
Sam Antonacci's first career home run is INSIDE THE PARK after the ball made contact with the ball boy and Diamondbacks LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. gave up on the play pic.twitter.com/aSK681KvXF
The fair ball got touched by the ball boy, who assumed it had gone foul, leading to left-fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to take the play off. Antonacci did no such thing as he flew through the bases and slid home for a four-bagger that never left the playing field.
Fortunately for Antonacci, umpires reviewed the play and upheld it as an inside-the-park home run. It would have been downright cruel to have him run across the diamond only to have his first-ever homer wiped away.
Antonnaci did quite a bit of running in the White Sox’s 11-5 win. His other hit of the contest came on an RBI triple in the first inning that was just a few feet short of clearing the fence in center field.
Rockies fan made the play of the season to catch a foul ball
One fan may have just earned himself a tryout to be the next backup outfielder of the Colorado Rockies.
The Rockies hosted the San Diego Padres for their series opener on Tuesday at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. Padres slugger Jackson Merrill was at the plate with a man on and one out against Rockies reliever Juan Mejia.
Merrill was out ahead of Mejia’s first-pitch sweeper and sent the ball deep into foul territory. The foul ball gave the Rockies fan his chance to shine.
The ball ricocheted off the stairs in an upper section and bounced back down to the lower seats. The fan in a brown hoodie completely laid out to make the grab, and took a nasty spill in the process.
True definition of YOLO pic.twitter.com/hasji3v18W
— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) April 22, 2026
Here’s an extended clip of the play, showing exactly where the ball caromed off from.
Legendary effort for this foul ball ☠️😂 pic.twitter.com/LvvdgLUFr8
— Jake Garegnani (@JakeGaregnani) April 22, 2026
Defense was at a premium Tuesday in Coors Field, and that apparently extended to the fans in attendance.
The Rockies lost to the Padres 1-0, marking just the 12th time in the history of the stadium that the game ended with such a score. It was San Diego’s first 1-0 win at Coors Field in franchise history. The Padres became the first visiting team to beat the Rockies 1-0 in 20 years.
It’s unclear if the fan was supporting the Rockies or the Padres, considering his brown hoodie matched San Diego’s uniforms for the game. All that’s certain is that he’ll have a souvenir from the contest and some serious soreness once he wakes up in the morning.
Victor Wembanyama suffered a concussion in Game 2
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has reportedly suffered a concussion.
The Frenchman had a hard fall in the second quarter of Game 2 of the Spurs’ first-round matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Wembanyama tripped while making a spin move and ended up slamming his head into the hardwood at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. You can watch the scary sequence here.
Wembanyama looked like he was knocked out cold after his head banged on the floor. He lay on the ground for about a minute before being assisted toward the locker room. He was later ruled out for the rest of the contest due to concussion protocol.
ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed after the game that Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a concussion, casting a dark cloud over his availability for Game 3. He will reportedly undergo further testing on Wednesday.
San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a concussion and will have further testing on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/d1kqbzOZMn
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2026
Wembanyama “cannot return to full participation” with the team for 48 hours, but can resume “gradual activity” within 24 hours, per Shams in reference to the NBA’s concussion protocol. The Spurs star would need to hit “several benchmarks” and approval from the team doctor before he is cleared to play.
Wembanyama left the game with just 5 points, 4 rebounds, and a block in 11 minutes of action.
Portland took advantage of Wembanyama’s absence to steal Game 2 on the road, 106-103. The Spurs took a 14-point lead without Wemby, but allowed the Blazers to close the game on a 27-10 run.
Wemby’s draft classmate and former rival, Scoot Henderson, had the game of his life. The Blazers guard led all scorers with 31 points on 11/17 shooting with 5 threes.
Mets fans gave sarcastic MVP chants after latest disaster
New York Mets fans could only make light of their situation as one of the franchise’s worst stretches ever continued on Tuesday night.
The Mets appeared to be on the verge of ending their 11-game losing streak when they took a 3-0 lead over the Minnesota Twins through five innings at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y. But as has been the norm, the visitors came roaring back to tie the game at 3-3.
Devin Williams took the mound in the top of the 9th inning and proceeded to let the next five batters get on base safely on three walks, a bouncing single, and a bunt hit.
The Mets replaced Williams with Austin Warren, who proceeded to strike out the next three batters, limiting the damage to 5-3 Twins. New York fans, just happy to see some competent pitching, began showering Warren with “MVP” chants after his second strikeout.
Mets reliever Austin Warren getting MVP chants from the Mets crowd after Devin Williams gave up the lead pic.twitter.com/Ha1gGTorGr
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 22, 2026
If anyone walking past Citi Field heard “MVP” chants from the crowd, one would have assumed Juan Soto had just homered, or Francisco Lindor had just made a sick defensive play. Instead, Soto has been injured and Lindor has been making mental mistakes all season long.
Mets fans’ standard for what deserves such chants is clearly close to the lowest depths of hell at this point.
The Mets were unable to ride the momentum of Warren’s MVP-worthy outing. Twins reliever Cole Sands did not allow a baserunner to complete his save, extending the Mets’ miserable losing streak to 12.
Mets owner Steve Cohen had a hopeful message for the team’s fan base last week when the streak hit 7. His tone will probably change if the Mets’ streak doubles since then.
Report: Warriors have been muzzling Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr’s expected departure from the Golden State Warriors may also be getting influenced by non-basketball reasons.
The longtime Warriors head coach Kerr has been feeling “stifled a little bit” by the team, Marc J. Spears of ESPN reported Tuesday in an appearance on 95.7 The Game. Spears mentioned Kerr’s lengthy history of speaking out on sociopolitical issues and added that it could be a “background” issue percolating between Kerr and the Warriors.
“I also think that Steve also truly respects the weight of the job that he has, the weight of the platform that he has,” said Spears. “He speaks out on social justice issues, he speaks out on racism issues, he speaks out on gun violence.
“I’ve heard a little bit that maybe he’s being stifled a little bit in that regard,” Spears added of Kerr. “I’m hearing that might be something in the background.”
Kerr, 60, has been the head coach of the Warriors since 2014 and has led them to six NBA Finals berths and four NBA championships. But he is not currently under contract for the 2026-27 season and was recently the subject of a claim that he had supposedly been creating internal frustrations in Golden State.
In the past, Kerr has gone viral many times over because of his outspoken political remarks (including taking aim at President Donald Trump and the “MAGA” movement). But now it sounds like the act began to wear thin in Golden State, resulting in Kerr apparently feeling a bit muzzled.
Tyrese Maxey taunts Celtics crowd during 76ers’ stunning Game 2 win
Tyrese Maxey was very much in his bag during Game 2 against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers earned a stunning road victory over the Celtics in Tuesday’s Game 2. They won by a convincing final of 111-97 at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. to even up the first-round series at one game apiece.
In the fourth quarter, Maxey hit a tough reverse layup and also drew a foul on Boston’s Jayson Tatum for the and-1 opportunity. After making the shot, Maxey turned to the Celtics crowd and began talking smack (in the direction of both the stands and the Boston bench).
Check out the video.
Tyrese Maxey has words for the Celtics bench and crowd pic.twitter.com/OtXvp7bTXy
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 22, 2026
The two-time NBA All-Star Maxey finished with 29 points and nine assists on 11/28 shooting. His backcourt partner VJ Edgecombe, a rookie for the 76ers, fared even better by putting up 30 points and 10 rebounds on 12/20 shooting.
Philadelphia, a No. 7 seed, was also playing against Boston, a No. 2 seed, without the services of former MVP center Joel Embiid, who is still recovering from an appendectomy. While Embiid’s status for the remainder of the first-round series is very murky at best, the 76ers at least succeeded on Tuesday in extending their season to give Embiid a better shot at returning.
Rockets get update on Kevin Durant’s status for Game 2
The Houston Rockets are about to get a Kevin Durant-sized boost for Game 2 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Durant is reportedly planning to make his series debut on Tuesday in Game 2 after missing the opener due to injury. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Rockets’ medical staff has fully cleared Durant to return from his knee tendon bruise.
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has been cleared to return for Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers after missing Game 1 due to a knee tendon bruise, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2026
Durant had made it through half of the Rockets’ practice on Monday and was considered a game-time decision for Game 2. He got the green light just hours before tipoff.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka shared insight on Durant’s injury before Houston’s 107-98 loss without the former MVP in Game 1. Per Udoka, Durant was previously dealing with “limited movement” in his right knee and not just issues with pain tolerance.
Houston struggled to score without Durant in Game 1, posting a sub-100 total for just the eighth time this season. The Rockets are 0-8 in such contests and are hoping Durant gets them over the century mark at the very least in Game 2. It would be a much better use of his talents compared to the heckler role he played in Game 1.
Blazers owner Tom Dundon may target team’s mascots in latest cost-cutting move
Tom Dundon is apparently leaving no stone unturned in his continued attempts to save a few bucks.
The new Portland Trail Blazers owner Dundon may target the team’s mascots, Blaze the Trail Cat and Douglas Fur, as part of his latest cost-cutting measure. Brian Berger of Sports Business Radio reported on Tuesday that Dundon does not believe the Blazers should have two mascots.
Dundon, who is also the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, agreed in Aug. 2025 to purchase the Blazers from the estate of Paul Allen for an estimated sum of $4.25 billion. He then officially took control of the team earlier this month after the sale was formally approved by the NBA Board of Governors.
But Dundon’s time in charge has gotten off to a rough start in the eyes of many Blazers fans. The Portland fanbase has largely been turned off by the various moves that Dundon has already made to slash costs for the team.
Last week, Blazers fans were outraged at the news that they would not receive free T-shirts at games for the team’s first playoff berth in a half-decade. Then we learned that the franchise was also cheaping out on travel for their two-way players during the playoffs.
As for Portland’s mascots, Blaze was the original one who debuted in 2002 while Douglas arrived in 2023 to create a dynamic duo. But now it looks like at least one of those beloved mascots could be on the chopping block now that Dundon has taken over the Blazers.
Victor Wembanyama exits Game 2 after a scary fall on his face
San Antonio Spurs fans got a real fright put into them during Tuesday’s game.
The Spurs hosted the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday for Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. In the second quarter at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had to exit the game after taking a terrifying fall.
Wembanyama was spinning his way to the basket and got knocked off balance by Portland’s Jrue Holiday, who switched onto him defensively. That led to Wembanyama falling hard to the deck, and his face ended up bouncing off the hardwood.
Here is the video of the scary fall.
Wemby falls and takes a hard hit to the face
— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) April 22, 2026
heading to the locker room pic.twitter.com/fB41ogknl8
Take a look at a couple of closer angles of Wembanyama’s spill.
Another angle of Wemby's fall pic.twitter.com/oWyEQlLMMh
— betr (@betr) April 22, 2026
The seven-footer Wembanyama got up on his own after several moments but seemed to be very dazed by the fall. He immediately left the game to go the locker room and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game by the Spurs as he entered concussion protocol.
Spurs say Victor Wembanyama (concussion protocol) is out for the remainder of tonight’s Spurs-Trail Blazers game.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 22, 2026
San Antonio won Game 1 over Portland on Sunday by a final score of 111-98. But now the attention turns to Wembanyama’s status for the remainder of the series if he is indeed dealing with a concussion here.
The Spurs and Blazers have two full days off before the series shifts to Portland for Game 3 on Friday. But the two teams then play every other day after that, and there is obviously significant concern right now for Wembanyama, who also missed time after a fall late in the regular season.
Isaiah Stewart had an incident with Desmond Bane before Game 1
Two of the NBA’s most mercurial personalities went at it before Sunday’s game.
Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons had an incident with Desmond Bane of the Orlando Magic before Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday. Video went viral this week showing the episode, which took place during pregame introductions at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.
When the lights had dimmed for the Pistons’ home introductions, Bane was seen attempting to dribble onto the court, seemingly to disrupt the fanfare. That led to Stewart sharply grabbing Bane and moving him aside.
Stewart was also seen making various shooing motions towards Bane with his hand. You can see the video at the link here.
Bane and the No. 8 seed Magic got the last laugh in the end. They earned a stunning 112-101 victory over the No. 1 seed Pistons to immediately wrestle away homecourt advantage in the series.
Meanwhile, those were probably the two characters you would expect in the Pistons-Magic series to get into it. Bane made headlines multiple times this season for instigating hostilities with opponents, and Stewart obviously has an even lengthier history of confrontations (including once sucker-punching an opponent in the arena tunnel before a game).
Notable update emerges on Todd Golden’s future
University of Florida fans will not have to worry about their head coach for the time being.
Gators men’s basketball head coach Todd Golden will not be taking the coaching job of the Golden State Warriors, ex-NBA forward Chandler Parsons reported Tuesday on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” Parsons, a University of Florida alum, said bluntly that those rumors were “1000 percent not true.”
Chandler Parsons says that rumors of Todd Golden going to GS are “1000% not true” pic.twitter.com/xN9umudtOT
— Florida Gators (@gatorsszn) April 21, 2026
Golden, 40, has served as head coach of the Gators since 2022 and led them to the national championship in 2025. He also just completed another strong year for the program as Florida won both the SEC Tournament and the SEC regular season title (though they fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Iowa).
Earlier this week, Golden was the subject of rumors linking him to the Warriors job. Steve Kerr has been the head coach in Golden State since 2014 but is not under contract with the team for next season and is facing widespread buzz about potential retirement.
The rumors surrounding the Florida coach Golden were mostly based around his prior ties to both the area and to Warriors ownership. But it sounds like Golden will remain fully committed to the Gators as they prepare for the 2026-27 NCAA season.
Interestingly enough, Golden’s contract buyout if he were to leave for an NBA job would be a relatively modest $3 million (which will drop down to $2 million on March 31, 2028). At least for the time being though, Golden will stay locked and loaded for Florida with the program now very much in the thick of recruiting season.
Orioles get worrisome Jackson Holliday update amid rehab assignment
The Baltimore Orioles’ rough start to the 2026 MLB season isn’t getting any better.
Young infielder Jackson Holliday has yet to play this season after suffering a hamate injury in spring training. And, concerns have grown as he left a rehab assignment early on Tuesday. Holliday was in his first game with Triple-A Norfolk in a rehab assignment, but he exited early following a foul tip strikeout.
Jackson Holliday's previous rehab assignment after his hamate bone surgery was paused due to right wrist soreness.
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) April 21, 2026
He began again over the weekend with High-A Frederick, and today shifted to Norfolk to continue his buildup. But after a foul tip strikeout, he was pulled
Here is the play where Holliday appeared to aggravate the injury.
Here's the swing that resulted in Jackson Holliday being removed from his rehab game in Triple-A Norfolk.
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) April 21, 2026
Holliday foul tipped the pitch and appeared to be in noticeable pain afterward.
The 22-year-old is recovering from hook of hamate removal surgery he had in February. pic.twitter.com/SU3StbhaMB
The Orioles entered the season with high hopes, especially after signing slugger Pete Alonso in a massive free agency deal.
However, the Orioles have an 11-12 record entering Tuesday, so it hasn’t quite been what they are hoping for, and now more worries have surfaced about Holliday’s return.
Holliday, 22, hit .242 with 17 home runs, 55 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 2025 with Baltimore while playing in 149 games, and he was expected to be an everyday piece of the lineup.
It’s another bump in the road for Baltimore, and there should be an update on Holliday sometime soon.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins another NBA award
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA MVP in 2024-25 and he is now adding another award to his trophy case.
On Tuesday, the NBA announced that Gilgeous-Alexander won the KIA NBA Clutch Player of the Year award, making him the fourth winner in the four years the award has been around.
Gilgeous-Alexander received 96 out of 100 first-place votes, with Jalen Brunson (2), Nikola Jokic and Cade Cunningham (1 each) receiving the others, while Jamal Murray and Anthony Edwards finished in second and third in total points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the fourth different Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year winner in the award’s four seasons.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 21, 2026
A global media panel of 100 voters made the selection.
Complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/1vu3ixK1pJ
Gilgeous-Alexander was excellent in crunch time. He led the NBA with 175 total clutch points and 6.5 points per game in clutch time, which is defined as games within 5 points in the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter or OT.
Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP last season, and he finished the regular season with 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game while once again being a favorite for the MVP award.
The Thunder are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and have a 1-0 lead over the Phoenix Suns. Game 2 is on Wednesday at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Florida State names starting quarterback for 2026
The Florida State Seminoles’ starting quarterback competition went on a bit longer than expected, but a final decision came on Tuesday.
Florida State has named former Auburn signal-caller Ashton Daniels as the starter. Daniels beat out Kevin Sperry in the competition this spring.
QB1️⃣#NoleFamily pic.twitter.com/rpu1J5vExF
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) April 21, 2026
Florida State’s last two quarterbacks have not lived up to the hype, with DJ Uiagalelei and Tommy Castellanos both disappointing despite high expectations.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell previously spoke highly of Daniels.
“I’ve really been pleased with what he’s shown, being able to live in the pocket and delivering the ball. I think he’s shown growth through the spring on the vertical shots,” Norvell said, via Andrea Adelson of ESPN.
Daniels, who spent the first three seasons at Stanford, transferred to Auburn but threw for just 797 yards with three touchdown passes and two interceptions.
Jackson Arnold began the season as Auburn’s starter before Daniels took over, and Deuce Knight also saw some playing time under center.
Daniels combined for 21 touchdowns with 20 interceptions in 2023 and 2024 at Stanford, and he now enters Florida State as the QB1, at least to begin the season.
Florida State begins the 2026 season with home games against New Mexico State and SMU before taking on Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Duke basketball gets major transfer portal win
The Duke Blue Devils are set to lose Cameron Boozer after a run to the Elite Eight, but head coach Jon Scheyer has now hit big in the transfer portal.
Wisconsin star guard John Blackwell has committed to Duke, per a report from ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.
Blackwell revealed why he chose Duke over other programs.
“Come here, have freedom. You can come here and be a draft pick, and that’s always my dream. Come here and help us win a national championship. I love the campus, I love the people surrounding Duke. That’s why I made my choice to be a Blue Devil,” Blackwell said, via Jeff Borzello.
Duke was up by five with less than two minutes to go in the Elite Eight game against UConn, but the Huskies came back. Cayden Boozer turned the ball over and Braylon Mullins hit the game-winning three-pointer to send UConn to the Final Four and send Duke home in heartbreak.
But, Blackwell coming to Duke is a major boost for Scheyer’s program. Blackwell has spent the past three seasons at Wisconsin, and he averaged a career-high 19.1 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game while leading the Badgers to the NCAA Tournament.
Blackwell was also considered the best guard in the portal, and he joins another loaded Duke team that is eager to get back to the Final Four.
Lakers get good news on Austin Reaves’ injury
The Los Angeles Lakers finally got some positive news on the injury front.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that there remains no expectation that Luka Doncic will return in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs, and he remains out indefinitely. Austin Reaves, however, has progressed further in his rehab and has an outside chance of returning late in the series.
“The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that’s further along than Luka Doncic in their respective rehab processes,” Charania said. “I am told Austin Reaves has started one-on-one on-court work. The next step for him is to continue to go through the progressions of three-on-three and five-on-five. Theoretically, that puts him on track late in this series or potentially early in the next series.”
Shams:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 21, 2026
"The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that's further along than Luka Doncic in their respective rehab processes. I am told Austin Reaves has started 1 on 1 on court work. The Lakers are not expecting Luka Doncic to be back in this series.… pic.twitter.com/Yx4hrt8An8
Reaves has been out since early April due to an oblique injury. The combination of that injury with Doncic’s has left the team very shorthanded, but an injury to Houston’s Kevin Durant helped them win Game 1 against the Rockets anyway.
It sounds like the Lakers might need a longer series to get Reaves back in the first round, but they have guaranteed themselves at least five games even if they can’t notch another win. That’s already better than some expected from them.
Jeremiyah Love unlikely to fall past 1 team in NFL Draft
Running back Jeremiyah Love appears to have established himself as one of the most coveted prospects in the NFL Draft, and teams looking to get him in the back half of the top ten may not even get the opportunity.
Jordan Ranaan of ESPN wrote Tuesday that he could not see John Harbaugh and the New York Giants passing on Love if the former Notre Dame playmaker is still on the board at No. 5 overall. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added that there are people within the Giants organization “holding out hope for this scenario.”
There are people in the Giants building holding out hope for this scenario. Would be hard to pass him up there. https://t.co/O1BUalc2cm
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 21, 2026
The Giants used a committee of Tyrone Tracy, Cam Skattebo, and Devin Singletary out of their backfield last season. While not terrible, Love would profile as being better than each of them, and would give the offense another weapon as Jaxson Dart tries to establish himself as the team’s unquestioned long-term starter.
Love is said to be regarded by some teams as the best player in the draft, through his position does limit his value a bit. He is the reigning Doak Walker Award winner after a season in which he ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Fighting Irish and scored 35 total touchdowns over two years.
If the Giants did nab Love early, it would come as a disappointment to at least one team picking not far behind them.
Brandon Ingram gets hammered for his ugly Game 2 performance
Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram is taking heat for both his performance in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and what he said leading up to it.
Ingram scored just seven points on 3/15 shooting in Toronto’s 115-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Monday’s game at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Oh. That performance came after he took just one shot in the second half of Game 1, only to suggest that coach Darko Rajakovic was misusing him as a screener.
Ingram already faced some heat for what some saw as making excuses for his poor Game 1. The criticism only got louder after Game 2 to the point that Raptors analyst Leo Rautins publicly called out Ingram for his efforts in the series.
“Let me ask you a question. When the Raptors had Kawhi Leonard, did you ever hear him say ‘You got to give me the ball’? You never heard that. He never said anything like that in public,” Rautins said. “When you’re an All-Star, you get the ball. You go get it. You make plays.
“If you think about the pressure he just put himself under, publicly saying, ‘Hey, I need shots.’ You put pressure on the coach. Now coach has got to defend what he’s doing out there. Your teammates are answering questions about you and why you didn’t get shots. You’re trying to win a playoff game. Now you put pressure on everybody, including yourself. Then, the next game after that, you don’t deliver. You can’t do that. Not when you’re an All-Star. This is your job. You’ve got to score, and you’ve got to find ways to do it and not look for excuses in those situations.”
Leo Rautins criticizes Brandon Ingram after the Game 1 post-game callout:
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) April 21, 2026
“When the Raptors had Kawhi Leonard, did you ever hear him say, ‘You got to give me the ball’? He never said anything like that in public.”
“When you’re an All-Star, you get the ball. You go get it. You… https://t.co/O6fFtHpcgG pic.twitter.com/lIsDoFzZEW
Ingram was Toronto’s leading scorer during the regular season, averaging 21.5 points per game. He has been a non-factor through two playoff games, and that is a big reason why the Raptors find themselves down 2-0. He has only exacerbated his problems by making what many see as excuses, then failing to deliver after demanding more of the ball.
Previously, Rajakovic has covered for Ingram after bad games. Ingram not taking responsibility now only makes that look worse.
Justin Jefferson has telling remark about Vikings adding Kyler Murray
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson dealt with subpar quarterback play for virtually all of last season. Now that the team has brought in Kyler Murray to play the position, he sounds much more optimistic.
Jefferson spoke Monday about the team’s decision to bring in Murray after JJ McCarthy struggled mightily last season. The star wide receiver was excited about Murray’s playmaking ability, and was even more ruthless toward McCarthy.
“I’m definitely looking for those big, exciting plays [from Murray ],” Jefferson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “I’m definitely looking forward to his speed, his quickness, his arm strength that he’s shown countless times over the years.
“And then for JJ, for somebody to enter that room with that type of ability, that type of talent, he’s got to step it up a little bit. So it’s good for him to feel that type of pressure and to really lock in a little bit and say, ‘It’s either now or I’m going to take that back seat again.’ So it’s all a competitive mindset when it comes to these type of things. So it’s all about who’s ready for that moment and who’s ready to step up and take that initiative.”
Jefferson probably didn’t mean to speak negatively of McCarthy, but his feelings are pretty clear here. Talking about the need to step it up and feel pressure certainly suggests that Jefferson believes McCarthy did not have to fight for his job hard enough last season.
While Jefferson has been a good teammate about the situation, he has also made it very clear that he was not thrilled with the team’s decision to let Sam Darnold walk and what it led to last season. The wide receiver’s production fell to a career-low 1,048 passing yards last season amid the inconsistent quarterback play. He will be hoping and expecting Murray to get things back on track in 2026.
Billy Donovan linked to 2 teams after leaving Bulls
Billy Donovan stepped down Tuesday as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, and it did not take long for him to be linked to new jobs.
Donovan is expected to continue coaching, though he has not confirmed that himself, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Siegel wrote that Donovan is already being linked to the New Orleans Pelicans job, and would also likely be a candidate for the Orlando Magic if Jamahl Mosley is dismissed after the playoffs.
The Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks are the only teams that currently have coaching vacancies. Interim coach James Borrego will at least get consideration in New Orleans, but other jobs are inevitably going to open up in the coming weeks, potentially including some high-profile ones.
Donovan, 60, opted to leave Chicago after six seasons in charge. This had been rumored, and was definitely the coach’s decision, not the team’s.
Donovan has a career record of 469-413 at the NBA level. He reached the playoffs just once in his six seasons with the Bulls, though the general consensus is that he made the most of some mediocre rosters during his tenure and is not necessarily to blame for the lack of success.
