JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 822

ATLANTA — Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his first postseason triple-double on Saturday night, leading the New York Knicks to a 114-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena that tied the first-round series at 2-2. OG Anunoby scored 22 points and Jalen Brunson added 19 as the Knicks took control early and held a large halftime lead.

The win denied the Hawks a chance to regain series advantage and sends the matchup back to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Tuesday; the series is scheduled to return to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday. Team comments emphasized defensive intensity and opportunistic passing, and official NBA statistics recorded Towns' 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Cleveland on Saturday selected Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green with the 182nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after trading picks with the Denver Broncos, the Browns announced. The sixth-round selection follows a trade that exchanged Cleveland’s 152nd pick for Denver’s 170th and 182nd picks, adding a dual‑threat quarterback to the team's roster.

Team officials said this week Green will join Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel as Cleveland’s fourth quarterback and enter offseason programs and organized team activities. Scouts highlighted his athleticism and rushing production, and the Browns will emphasize ball security and quarterback development during spring practices and the upcoming training camp.

HOUSTON — Kevin Durant missed Games 3 and 4 of the Houston Rockets’ Western Conference first-round series this week after experiencing a left ankle sprain that later was described as a bone bruise, coach Ime Udoka said. Durant was absent from the bench during Friday’s 112-108 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and did not play in Sunday night’s 115-96 Rockets victory.

Udoka told reporters Saturday that Durant was receiving treatment and that his availability remained a game-to-game decision as swelling and mobility improved; the coach described a possible return this season. Team practices were light ahead of the next matchup, and medical updates will determine Durant’s status for Game 5, scheduled Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

PHOENIX — The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Western Conference first-round series 3-0 and defeated the Phoenix Suns 121-109 on Saturday as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points. This week the Suns have faced multiple roster issues: Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams were ruled out with calf and foot injuries, while Grayson Allen played despite a hamstring concern.

Monday night the Thunder can clinch the series if they win Game 4; Phoenix must adjust rotations and improve scoring balance for Devin Booker to extend the series. Coaches and players have cited depth and fatigue, and the Suns' limited bench production versus the Thunder's depth was a decisive factor entering the next scheduled matchup.

Lowell, Mass. Jessie Eldridge scored the first of four Boston goals and Aerin Frankel made 30 saves to lead the Boston Fleet to a 4-0 victory over the New York Sirens on Saturday, closing the regular season. The win left Boston with a 16-5-4-5 record and preserved the team's chance to finish first if Seattle upsets Montreal.

Boston, Montreal and the two-time defending champion Minnesota Frost have clinched postseason spots, while Toronto and Ottawa were scheduled to play later Saturday for the final berth. Frankel recorded her eighth shutout and extended a scoreless streak against the Sirens to 130:54; Eldridge’s goal was her 14th of the season and seventh in eight games, with an assist from Megan Keller.

Baltimore. The Boston Red Sox scored ten ninth-inning runs to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 17-1 on Saturday, April 25, 2026, after Andruw Monasterio hit a grand slam. Willson Contreras hit a three-run homer and Caleb Durbin a two-run shot in the ninth; Garrett Crochet started and completed six shutout innings.

Following the late rally, the Red Sox snapped a four-game losing streak and improved their run differential. Orioles starter Trevor Rogers allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings and reliever Keegan Akin was removed in his season debut; team pitching and bullpen usage are immediate issues to address this week as managers assess rotations.

PITTSBURGH -- The Cleveland Browns selected Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson with the No. 149 pick and University of Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer with the No. 170 pick during the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday. The team acquired the No. 170 pick via a trade with the Denver Broncos, sending pick No. 152 in the transaction.

Both players join established position groups as the Browns prepare for offseason programs and training camp this spring; Royer joins a tight ends room led by Harold Fannin Jr., while Jefferson enters a linebackers group that includes recent additions and incumbents. Team officials and coaches will evaluate the rookies during rookie minicamps and Organized Team Activities in the weeks ahead.

Columbus, Ohio. On Saturday and during the 2026 NFL Draft, Ohio State had 11 players enter the professional ranks; four Buckeyes were taken in the first round — Carnell Tate (fourth overall), Arvell Reese (fifth overall), Sonny Styles (seventh overall) and Caleb Downs (11th overall) — while Lorenzo Styles Jr. was selected in the fifth round by the New Orleans Saints.

After the draft concluded this week, the New Orleans Saints signed undrafted Ohio State players Tywone Malone and CJ Donaldson to rookie contracts, joining Lorenzo Styles Jr. on the roster. Multiple teams traded up to secure Ohio State prospects on earlier days, and the selected and signed players will report to their NFL clubs for offseason programs and training camps.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Todd Pletcher's colt Renegade drew the inside No. 1 post and opened as the morning-line favorite at 4-1 for the 152nd Kentucky Derby, which is scheduled for May 2. The draw was conducted Saturday, and no horse has won the Derby from the No. 1 position since Ferdinand in 1986.

This week trainers and connections reacted to the draw and updated tactics; Brad Cox has three entries with Commandment and Further Ado each listed at 6-1 on the morning line, while Fulleffort drew the far outside No. 20 post and is listed at 20-1. Officials confirmed the Kentucky Oaks runs May 1 with the Derby following on May 2.

Pittsburgh — On Saturday the Las Vegas Raiders selected Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with the first pick of the fourth round, No. 101, after trading up with the Buffalo Bills. McCoy, who missed the 2025 season following a January ACL tear, had been viewed as a potential first-round talent before medical concerns.

The Raiders moved up by trading their 102nd pick and a 2027 seventh-round choice to Buffalo to secure McCoy; he stated his doctors have cleared him and he is willing to undergo additional surgery if the team prefers. This week team officials and medical staff will evaluate his recovery timetable ahead of training camp.