JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 886

San Francisco — The Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James and coached by JJ Redick, defeated the Golden State Warriors 119-103 on Thursday in San Francisco while the team remained shorthanded following earlier April blowout losses in Oklahoma City and Dallas and injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

The victory helped the Lakers hold the fourth seed this week as Redick emphasized shifting focus from chasing seeding to restoring effort, defense, and health; league reports list Doncic with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves with a Grade 2 left oblique, and the team prepared rotations and medical management ahead of Friday’s game versus Phoenix.

Washington: Actor Jenna Ortega said she nearly left acting after exiting children's television, but landed the role of Ellie Alves in season 2 of Netflix's You in 2019, which she now credits with altering her career trajectory, her interviews reported on April 9.

The casting convinced Ortega to remain in the industry and marked a shift toward mature roles; outlets cited her comments on a podcast and in interviews, noting she discussed quitting with her team before the booking changed her plans this week.

PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 37 points as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 112-107 on Wednesday, clinching the Western Conference No. 7 seed and securing home advantage in the NBA play-in tournament scheduled for this coming week.

The win leaves Phoenix positioned to host a play-in game and prompted plans to rest starters for upcoming road matchups on Friday and Sunday; Jalen Green left Wednesday’s game with a reported right knee issue, and Jordan Goodwin exited with a left ankle concern.

San Antonio — On Wednesday night the Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 112-101 in San Antonio, with De'Aaron Fox scoring 25 points while Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle were sidelined by injuries, keeping San Antonio at 61-19 and extending a 28-3 run since Feb. 1.

The victory reinforced the Spurs' seeding position and showcased bench depth as six players reached double figures; Portland fell to 40-40 with Deni Avdija scoring 27 and Scoot Henderson 20, and teams prepared for final regular-season matchups later this week.

Inglewood, Calif. — The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched the NBA's best regular-season record with a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, as Chet Holmgren scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and 11 assists.

The win moved the Thunder to 64-16, securing home-court advantage throughout the postseason and the West's No.1 seed for the third consecutive season; the Clippers, led by Kawhi Leonard (20) and Brook Lopez (16), must win remaining games, including a Friday trip to Portland, to improve their standing.

Washington — President Donald Trump on Wednesday posted on Truth Social that U.S. ships, aircraft, and military personnel will remain deployed in and around Iran until a 'real agreement' is fully complied with; he said additional ammunition and weaponry are in place and reaffirmed commitments on nuclear non-proliferation and the Strait of Hormuz.

The president warned that any violation could prompt larger military action and said forces are 'loading up and resting'; this week he also criticized media reports about negotiations, while regional authorities and commercial shippers are increasing monitoring and preparedness in response to the announcement.

SAN JOSE, Calif. Connor McDavid scored a hat trick and added two assists Wednesday night, leading the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks and moving Edmonton into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.

The win gave the Oilers 90 points, two more than Vegas, and featured coach Kris Knoblauch praising McDavid’s performance; Macklin Celebrini scored for the Sharks, who suffered a setback to their playoff hopes, while McDavid needs three goals in his final three games for 50.

Madison, Wisconsin. Democratic candidates won contests this week, taking a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat and the mayoralty in Waukesha, while Democrats also performed strongly in a Georgia special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, officials and party operatives reported.

Republican officials acknowledged setbacks, with U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany saying 'We got our butts kicked,' and Democratic consultant Jared Leopold noting broad overperformance; GOP strategists cited voter dissatisfaction and favorable Republican polling but said they must refine messaging and ground operations ahead of the November midterms.

Washington — Michael Patrick, an Irish actor who appeared on an episode of Game of Thrones, died at age 35, his wife Naomi Sheehan said on Instagram on April 9; he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease and was admitted to hospice shortly before his death.

Family and medical organizations issued statements this week: Sheehan described his peaceful passing surrounded by family, the MND Association offered condolences, and outlets reported he was admitted to a hospice ten days prior, noting the incurable nature of motor neurone disease.

Raleigh, North Carolina — A former Fort Bragg employee, Courtney Williams, was charged on April 8, 2026, after the Justice Department said she allegedly provided classified national defence information to journalist Seth Harp that appeared in his 2025 book, prompting a federal indictment under the Espionage Act.

Williams appeared in federal court this week and was ordered held by the U.S. Marshals Service pending hearings set for early next week; prosecutors cite alleged communications from 2022–2025, while press freedom groups and officials have offered contrasting statements about the disclosures' national-security implications.