Everyone said the same thing about Mike Vrabel returning to Patriots
Mike Vrabel’s time in counseling was quite brief, it turns out.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that Vrabel is already back at work with the New England Patriots. Vrabel is back with the team two days after he missed the third and final day of the NFL Draft in order to attend counseling. The Patriots coach made that decision in light of the emergence of numerous photos of himself with NFL reporter Dianna Russini, sparking rumors of an extramarital affair.
Social media reaction was swift. There were many sarcastic comments about how his brief trip to counseling had clearly solved everything, and a few insinuations that his temporary absence had been more performative than anything else.
He's cured! https://t.co/mrSfLbGfsB
— Tony Farmer (@Tonysmarkettips) April 27, 2026
Ah, so the performative contrition portion is over. Glad we got that out of the way. https://t.co/PQ1gXOwNW3
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) April 27, 2026
And just like that, I’m sure Mike Vrabel now knows it’s bad to have a 6-year-long affair with a married reporter.
— Eagles Fan Central (@PhilaFanCentral) April 27, 2026
What a redemption story. https://t.co/o3Y5Zeu6Y8
Quickest family counseling session in history. https://t.co/gYh4AbaLLm
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) April 27, 2026
Vrabel has not offered any real details on the nature of his counseling or the specific reason he is seeking it. He simply said he would miss a day of the draft in order to seek it, and that he was doing so in order to be a better husband, father, and coach.
The Patriots are scheduled to hold their rookie minicamp from May 8-10. Presumably, that will be the next time he might address the media.
Paige Bueckers addresses her relationship with Azzi Fudd
Paige Bueckers has tried once and for all to address chatter about her relationship with Azzi Fudd.
Fudd, the No. 1 WNBA draft pick, will join Bueckers on the Dallas Wings this season. The two have been dating since 2025, and their relationship has prompted some questions now that they are professional teammates.
Bueckers said Monday that Fudd has earned her success, and that the two would not let any on-court situations carry over into their personal life. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year said she does not intend to discuss the topic again.
“Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own. And what we choose to share is completely up to us,” Bueckers said. “We’ve never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.
“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it, and it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, who she is the basketball player.”
Paige Bueckers addressed her relationship with Azzi Fudd in an opening statement during Wings media day:
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 27, 2026
She said, in part: "Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi's personal relationship is nobody's business but our own. And what we choose to share is completely up to us.
"We've…
The Wings made the relationship even more of a talking point by shutting down a question about it at a recent press conference. That likely informed Bueckers’ decision to try to make a blanket statement now so the intrigue will not hang around into the season.
Bueckers and Fudd publicly confirmed their romantic relationship on social media in 2025. The two were teammates at UConn before winding up together on the Wings.
Pat Riley takes another shot at Jimmy Butler
Miami Heat president Pat Riley certainly seems to feel vindicated by his decision to trade Jimmy Butler last year.
Riley addressed the media in his end-of-season press conference Monday, and he clearly suggested that his decision to get rid of Butler was a net positive for the team. He cited the fact that the team won more games this season than they did the season before.
“When you look back on what we did with Jimmy in that trade, we won 37 games last year, for a lot of reasons. Winning six more games this year, it’s an improvement. We did improve from that standpoint,” Riley said.
Pat Riley says the team improved after moving on from Jimmy Butler:
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) April 27, 2026
“When you look back at what we did with Jimmy, in that trade. Winning 37 last year for a lot of reasons and then winning 6 more this year. That’s an improvement” https://t.co/UMvwedOqhl pic.twitter.com/WFIl1VJDQh
Butler and the Heat had an acrimonious breakup that stemmed from Riley’s unwillingness to give the veteran the new contract he was looking for. Butler did not have many nice things to say about Riley after he was traded to the Golden State Warriors, and Riley was just as critical.
The Heat did improve in terms of their win total, but finished 10th in an improved Eastern Conference, which was a step down from 2024-25. Riley acknowledged that further improvement is necessary, but he has clearly never had any second thoughts about the Butler deal.
Victor Wembanyama criticizes NBA concussion protocols
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama voiced frustration with the NBA’s concussion protocol after returning for Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Wembanyama said after Sunday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers that he felt the way the protocol was handled was “very disappointing.” He refused to open up about why, though he did say the doctors involved in treating him were “great.”
Victor Wembanyama said he doesn’t want to get into details on his potency in the NBA concussion protocol and be a distraction, but he did have this to say:
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) April 27, 2026
“The doctors all around, they were great. Took great care of me. But the way the situation was handled was very… pic.twitter.com/iIgVkqd0us
ESPN’s Shams Charania offered more context on Monday in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” He suggested that there was conflict between the Spurs’ doctors and the NBA’s concussion doctors over whether Wembanyama would be cleared to play in Game 3.
“He felt he was cleared to play Friday. He felt like the Spurs doctors had cleared him to play. And that’s why the frustration comes into play when the league decides he wasn’t,” Charania said.
"Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs believed that he was cleared to play in game three..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 27, 2026
He was pissed that he wasn't able to play"@ShamsCharania #PMSLive https://t.co/X8iUDTE1mG pic.twitter.com/WlCfilHvcf
Wembanyama suffered a concussion in Game 2 when he fell hard and hit his head on the floor. He was ruled out of Game 3, though he still attended and let the Blazers have it from the bench.
Ultimately, Wembanyama returned for Game 4 and put up 27 points and 12 rebounds. His Spurs can close out the series in Game 5 Tuesday with one more victory.
Mike Brown’s job with Knicks may not be safe
Mike Brown may be coaching for his job during the playoffs, even though he is still in his first season as head coach of the New York Knicks.
Brown’s future remains the subject of speculation and he may need to reach the NBA Finals to keep his job, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. There is speculation that even that might not be enough, and Brown has to win a title or risk being replaced.
That would be pretty harsh on Brown, who was brought in to replace Tom Thibodeau last year after the Knicks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. The team went 53-29, a slight improvement on last year, but are locked in a tough first round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Whether Brown has actually made the Knicks better is a matter of debate. He has drawn criticism for some of his moves, and at the very least, the team does not look to be clearly better this season compared with last year.
Brown may have reason to sweat if this is true. After all, even he isn’t sure the Knicks have what it takes to win a championship.
Texas Tech QB checks into rehab for gambling addiction
Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is leaving the team to seek treatment for a gambling addiction.
In a statement released Monday, Texas Tech announced that Sorsby will take an “immediate indefinite leave of absence” from the team in order to enter a residential treatment program for gambling addiction. The school said it was committed to supporting Sorsby for long-term recovery.
Texas Tech star QB Brendan Sorsby is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team and checking into a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, per the school pic.twitter.com/8LiPv3pYT0
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) April 27, 2026
Sorsby only just arrived at Texas Tech as a transfer from Cincinnati. He threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with the Bearcats last season, and was expected to be the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback in 2026.
Sorsby previously played for Indiana before joining Cincinnati. He was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2025.
The Red Raiders are coming off a 12-2 season and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. They have an opening at quarterback after Behren Morton, last year’s starter, graduated.
Joel Embiid has evasive response to questions about 76ers
Joel Embiid was not exactly effusive on Sunday when asked about the state of his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Embiid was asked about whether his relationship with team management is in a better place following his team’s 128-96 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Sunday.
“I mean, we’re in the playoffs, we’re 3-1 so that’s what we focus on,” Embiid said. “I think we try to do the best job possible to try to make sure that I get back on the court but the focus is on the playoffs, trying to find a way to win one at a time.”
Obviously, Embiid is focused on other things, but he did not really go out of his way to say nice things about team management. There were reports last season that he had internal tension with the organization over treatment of his injuries, and it is not clear if that has subsided.
Embiid made his playoff debut Sunday after a bout with appendicitis. The frustration about his inability to stay healthy is high, both for him and the team, and one has to wonder how much longer the organization can stay committed to a player who has so rarely been available to them over the past several years.
Rajon Rondo emerges as a candidate for a head-coaching job
Rajon Rondo could find himself roaming the sidelines as a head coach, beginning in the 2026-27 NBA season.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Rondo is among those the New Orleans Pelicans are considering to be the team’s next head coach.
“League sources say Rondo has been interviewed for the post after serving as a special assistant on Doc Rivers’ Milwaukee staff. Rondo is said to have felt his first coaching itch while recovering from a torn ACL as a Celtic, prompting Brad Stevens to bring him into staff meetings,” Stein wrote on his Substack.
It’s not surprising to hear that the 40-year-old Rondo has a strong interest in coaching in the Association. He displayed his high basketball IQ throughout his playing days, earning him a reputation as one of the league’s smartest players.
Being an intelligent point guard, however, doesn’t always equate to a successful coaching career. Rondo also has no head-coaching experience since he officially hung up his sneakers in 2024.
The four-time NBA All-Star Rondo had a stint as a guest on the Milwaukee Bucks’ coaching staff under his former Boston Celtics head coach, Doc Rivers, during the 2025–26 regular season. However, he would be making a giant leap to the top of the Pelicans’ coaching hierarchy if he lands the job.
Rondo, who won an NBA title with the Celtics in 2008, appeared in 65 games (63 starts) for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season.
H/T HoopsHype
Gabrielle Union reacts to Dwyane Wade’s role in Candace Parker’s special day
Basketball legend Candace Parker is soon joining her friend Dwyane Wade and many others in the sport’s most prestigious club.
The two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year, and when she heard the news, she knew who her presenter for the event would be.
In a video shared on social media by NBA on Prime, Parker gave Wade a handwritten letter during a plane ride, asking the Miami Heat legend to join her on stage during the induction.
You can watch that moment here.
“Dear No. 3… always looking out for me, through Olympic gold, medals, championships,” Wade said, while reading the letter out loud. “You have always had my back. It would be an absolute honor if you walk me and join me on stage at the Hall of Fame. I love you like a brother.”
Of course, Wade was happy to learn the news, immediately going over to Parker to give her a hug.
Meanwhile, Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union, saw the video of the heartfelt moment between her husband and Parker, who won three WNBA titles.
“[It’s] only right,” Union commented, adding a fire emoji for emphasis.
Union clearly has no issue with her husband showing support for Parker. Like many basketball fans familiar with Parker’s incredible career, Union was simply thrilled to know that the seven-time WNBA All-Star will receive a much-deserved spotlight.
The induction ceremony for Parker and the rest of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., in August.
Fans can’t resist making the same joke about Russell Wilson at Savannah Bananas game
Russell Wilson is still an NFL free agent, but that is not keeping him out of the spotlight.
The 10-time Pro Bowler showed up on the baseball field on Sunday, joining the Savannah Bananas for a game against the Party Animals at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y.
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback grabbed everyone’s attention when he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning, but not entirely for the right reasons. Wilson made contact with the ball and failed to leg out a single, as he was beaten to the bag on a trick play. You can watch the video of that play here.
Fans focused more on Wilson’s physique than his performance at the plate.
Bruh walking to the plate like …. pic.twitter.com/bfM0VgnXke
— Ah Sahm (@AhSahm96) April 27, 2026
His dad bod fits right in with all the other MLB players
— JO Buras (@JOBuras) April 27, 2026
Bro put down the burritos pic.twitter.com/RHjGKXxrQ3
— DK (@DK3OffTheT) April 27, 2026
Russ looking thicc in Free agency.
— Eric Diaz (@TheDudeDiaz) April 26, 2026
Russ turning into White Goodman pic.twitter.com/d35RxwTM1T
— Nicky Giuffre (@NickyMulligans) April 26, 2026
At 37 years old, it’s harder for Wilson to stay in top shape than it was during his prime. That said, he did not look so bad when he ran to first base.
He still has good speed, but it’s going to take more than that for an NFL team to take a chance on an aging quarterback who is coming off a mediocre campaign.
In the 2025 season, Wilson played in just six games (three starts) and passed for just 831 yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions on a 58% completion rate with the New York Giants.
Ime Udoka keeps door open for Kevin Durant’s Game 5 return
The Houston Rockets bought Kevin Durant some more time to recover from his ankle injury after taking down the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday.
With their 115-96 win over LA at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, the Rockets avoided a series sweep and kept alive their hope of seeing Durant suit up for at least one more time in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
After Game 4, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka hinted at the possibility of Durant returning to the lineup for Game 5 on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
“Kevin Durant’s status is game-to-game per Ime Udoka. He has not been ruled out for the series,” Vanessa Richardson of ESPN shared via a post on X.
Durant sat out Game 1 of the series with a knee issue before playing in Game 2, where he scored 23 points. However, he sat out again for Game 3 due to an ankle injury.
With Houston facing elimination on Sunday, Durant missed yet another game, though the Rockets found a way to survive, thanks to the collective effort of his healthy teammates.
No team in NBA history has won a series after opening it with three straight losses, but the Rockets’ chances of pulling off a miracle should increase if Durant plays in Game 5.
No team in NBA history has come back to win a series after losing the first three games, but the Rockets’ chances of pulling off a miracle would increase if Durant plays in Game 5.
LeBron James suffers an embarrassing low for the first time in his NBA career
LeBron James is an incredible ageless wonder, but he can’t always beat Father Time.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward lost one of those battles on Sunday. In Game 4 of the Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, James scored just 10 points on 2/9 shooting. He dished out 9 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds, but he repeatedly shot the Lakers in the foot with 8 turnovers in a 115-96 Lakers loss.
It was also the second playoff game in a row that the four-time NBA MVP turned the ball over eight times, the first time ever in his legendary career that he committed at least that many turnovers in back-to-back postseason contests.
LeBron in Game 4 vs Houston:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 27, 2026
10 PTS
9 AST (8 TOV)
2-9 FG
0-3 3P
Back-to-back playoff games with 8 TOV for the first time in his career. pic.twitter.com/qh2aMjoWXr
The Lakers were able to weather James’ turnovers in Game 3, as they came away with a 112-108 come-from-behind victory.
James softened the blow of his miscues in that contest with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists, but he did not have that kind of production in Game 4, as Los Angeles failed to complete a series sweep of the Rockets.
James has been left with increased ball-handling duties amid the absences of injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, which could explain his turnovers. He will look to tighten up his ball security on Wednesday, when the Lakers try to eliminate the Rockets again at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
Celtics fans take over 76ers’ arena with savage 3-word chant in Game 4
Boston Celtics fans were loud and proud on Sunday as their squad dominated on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of their first-round series.
The Celtics throttled the Sixers 128-96 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead in front of a muted Philadelphia crowd inside the Xfinity Mobile Arena. The home trailed by at least 15 points throughout the entire second half in the rout.
With Boston leading the contest by 30 points in the fourth quarter, the Celtics faithful taunted their Sixers counterparts with a mocking three-word chant.
“We want Boston! We want Boston!” chanted a smattering of Celtics fans in the building.
“We Want Boston” chants breaking out here in Philly
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) April 27, 2026
The Celtics are up by 30 pic.twitter.com/HrpmOiqgo4
The chants were clearly audible during the ESPN broadcast of the Beantown smackdown.
And now Celtics fans are chanting “WE WANT BOSTON” after blowing out the Sixers pic.twitter.com/LTEYfG11HA https://t.co/hTak6CpWw5
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 19, 2026
Sixers fans were chanting the same thing as their team beat the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament. Bostonians did not forget.
76ers fans were optimistic entering Game 4 with the return of All-Star center Joel Embiid, who had been recovering from an emergency appendectomy. Philly nearly stole Game 3 even without the former league MVP, and his return gave the Sixers an interior force it didn’t have for the first three games of the series.
Instead, the Celtics played their best game of the first round so far. Boston went 24/53 from beyond the arc and out-rebounded Philadelphia 51-30 to get the team one game away from advancing to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Ravens owner ‘was begging’ to make draft pick for his team
Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti did more for his team’s draft prep than prepare his checkbook.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta revealed on Sunday that Bisciotti was in charge of making one of the team’s selections in the 2026 NFL draft. The player who caught the billionaire’s eye was Clemson running back Adam Randall, whom the team selected with the last of its three fifth-round picks on Day 3.
DeCosta shared during his post-draft press conference about how Bisciotti’s involvement came about during the NFL Annual League Meeting about a month prior.
“It’s the first draft pick Steve Bisciotti’s ever made,” DeCosta told reporters. “When we were down in Florida, Steve was begging for a draft pick—and he owns the team. I said, ‘Yeah, Steve, of course you can have a draft pick.’ And so we decided on our last fifth-round pick.”
The Ravens executive assured the media that Bisciotti did the work necessary to make an informed decision on the 174th pick. Per DeCosta, Bisciotti studied tape, did his research, and talked to people around Randall to validate his choice.
While all that could be true, the slippery slope here is that Bisciotti will now have extra investment in Randall’s success. How Randall performs on the field — if he even gets enough time there — would be a direct reflection of Bisciotti’s eye for talent.
Randall could very well be a slam-dunk pick who outperforms his draft slot. He’s a converted wide receiver who had a standout senior year as Clemson’s RB1. He finished with 814 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns in his first year as a full-time back.
However, slowly integrating the team owner in the draft process could bring serious consequences. Just ask Dallas Cowboys fans.
Mike Tomlin makes ‘gun to my head’ prediction about Aaron Rodgers’ future
Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t think Aaron Rodgers is going anywhere.
The Steelers’ quarterback plans for next season remained in limbo before the NFL draft, and not much has changed since. Rodgers has yet to confirm whether he’ll return to Pittsburgh next season or finally hang up his cleats for good.
Tomlin, who coached Rodgers during the 2025 season, believes he knows what’s going through his former QB1’s head. During his first appearance as an analyst on NBC, Tomlin was asked who he believes would be the Steelers’ starting quarterback once the season rolls around.
“Man, if you’ve got a gun to my head, I’d say it’s A.R.,” Tomlin told Maria Taylor. “I just think being around him for 12 months, he’s got a love affair with the game of football. And not only the game, but the process.
“The informal moments of the development of younger guys, the interaction with teammates — I think he has an addiction to that, and there’s only one way to feed it. And certainly, he’s still capable and in really good shape. I think at the end of the day, he’ll play football.”
Rodgers has been in the NFL for over two decades and has been widely revered as one of the league’s most talented players for most of that time. Going from being “the man” for all those years to the next retired player to appear as an analyst for the NFL Network is an adjustment he may not be ready to make.
Everyone made the same joke about Diego Pavia joining Ravens
Diego Pavia may be getting a chance to form something of an odd couple in Baltimore.
The former Vanderbilt quarterback Pavia has accepted an invite to rookie minicamp from the Baltimore Ravens, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Sunday. After officially going undrafted this week, Pavia will be joining the Ravens for minicamp next weekend.
That news of Pavia heading to Baltimore led to everybody making the same joke online. Many users on X joked about the impending dynamic between Pavia and Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Lamar Jackson and Diego Pavia at Ravens mini camp pic.twitter.com/kNkKBZTT5m
— Onyx (@OnyxOdds) April 26, 2026
Lamar after Pavia demands to play with the 1s pic.twitter.com/gY7a1YOwVV
— Garage Gameday Sports (@GamedayGarage) April 26, 2026
Lamar to Diego. pic.twitter.com/8p9oGnbP2b
— Brady (@TheyCallMeBrady) April 26, 2026
Pavia when he sees Lamar pic.twitter.com/af9rMNeELJ
— Ralph (@Ralph6554183881) April 26, 2026
Pavia, 24, was a Heisman finalist and an SEC Offensive Player of the Year winner in 2025 after throwing for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns at Vanderbilt (plus adding 862 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground). But with real questions over his height and arm strength, Pavia was ultimately not selected in the NFL Draft this week.
Additionally, Pavia did not help his own cause with his well-documented maturity concerns. But now Pavia will be getting a chance to potentially be teammates with a very different quarterback personality in Jackson.
Behind the former MVP Jackson, the Ravens currently have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley but no other backups at the QB position. Thus after Pavia made some embarrassing history by going undrafted, he will be getting his opportunity to prove that he belongs at the NFL level.
NBA decides on punishments for Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 4 fight
The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves will officially have every (healthy) player available for Monday’s Game 5.
The NBA announced on Sunday that they are handing down fines only for Saturday night’s Game 4 incident between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves. Denver star Nikola Jokic is being fined $50,000 and Minnesota counterpart Julius Randle is being fined $35,000 as well.
In their official release, the NBA said that Jokic initiated the heated incident. Meanwhile, Randle was said to have “forcefully” inserted himself into the scrum before shoving Nuggets swingman Bruce Brown in the process.
Minnesota defeated Denver by a final score of 112-96 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. on Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series. In the closing seconds of the game, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels made a layup after both teams had effectively stopped playing.
That led to Jokic rushing over to confront McDaniels, and players from both teams then proceeding to exchange shoves. You can see the full video of the incident here.
In addition to Jokic and Randle (both of whom were ejected on the spot), there was uncertainty about whether players such as Aaron Gordon of Denver or Rudy Gobert of Minnesota would trigger automatic one-game suspensions for leaving the bench area during the fight. Ultimately however, the NBA will not be handing out any suspensions, though the bigger concern for the leading Timberwolves right now is the bad news that they just got on star player Anthony Edwards.
Rams may still add another quarterback
The Los Angeles Rams might be committed to loading up on quarterbacks this offseason.
The Rams drafted Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall as their quarterback of the future on Thursday in the NFL Draft, but they may not be done. Coach Sean McVay refused to completely shut the door on the potential return of Jimmy Garoppolo in a backup role to Matthew Stafford.
“I don’t want to say completely closed, but I would say this. You guys know how much I appreciate Jimmy and what he could really do. I always viewed him as a starting-caliber quarterback,” McVay said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I wouldn’t say he’d ever close it, but by being able to do what we did last night, it probably lessens the level of urgency for that position. I certainly would never say never in anything like that.”
The Rams have essentially confirmed that Garoppolo is contemplating retirement, which may have played at least a small role in the Simpson pick. The team is still hopeful that he will reconsider, even though, as McVay alluded to, their backup situation is more settled now.
If Garoppolo did come back to the Rams, Simpson would wind up third on the depth chart. That shows just how serious the Rams are about letting him develop instead of throwing him into game action.
Report reveals how severe Kevin Durant’s injury really is
Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 of the Houston Rockets’ first round playoff series, and under normal circumstances, he would be out for a while after that, too.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday that Durant has not been cleared by doctors to play in Sunday’s do-or-die game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant is dealing with a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would be a two-to-three week injury during the regular season.
Houston's Kevin Durant is expected to miss Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Durant has a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would sideline him 2 to 3 weeks in season. He's had around-the-clock treatment to play but has not been cleared by doctors. pic.twitter.com/DpOdclPEAw
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2026
Obviously, Durant is pushing to return as soon as possible with the Rockets on the brink of elimination. The timeline gives an indication, however, of just how significant Durant’s injury really is.
Details about Durant’s injury have been few and far between. He missed Games 1 and 3, and even his teammates seem largely unaware of what is going on and whether his rehab is progressing. It is not clear if he would have a chance to play in a hypothetical Game 5 either, with the Rockets likely to take things day-by-day.
Durant scored 23 points on 7/12 shooting in Game 2, his only appearance of the series to date.
Raptors set an incredibly ugly record in their playoff win
The Toronto Raptors evened their Eastern Conference first round series on Sunday despite a performance that went into the record books for the wrong reasons.
The Raptors pulled out a 93-89 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, On. in what was a defensive struggle for most of the game. The two teams combined for just 74 first half points, and things did not improve significantly in the second half.
The Raptors wound up shooting 31/97 from the field, a 32 percent mark. That is the lowest figure a winning team has ever posted in a playoff game since the advent of the three-point line.
Raptors win! They shot 32% from the field, the worst mark in a playoff win in the 3-point era.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) April 26, 2026
Toronto went just 4/30 from three-point range. Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett combined to shoot 14/45, while Scottie Barnes was a bit more respectable at 6/15.
Though they have come back to tie the series at 2, the Raptors have played some ugly basketball against the Cavaliers. They should feel fortunate to be in the series, but that is exactly where they find themselves.
