After the Oklahoma City Thunder accomplished their sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers final evening, all eyes turned to LeBron James, the Lakers’ 41-year-old star. Had that been James’ remaining NBA recreation? His final recreation in a Laker uniform? We dive in beneath.
Also, Takefusa Kubo, the Japanese Messi, is at the moment’s World Cup participant highlight. Plus, there’s a brand new docuseries out that takes you behind the scenes with the U.S. males’s nationwide staff.
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Stay tuned right here for extra NBA and World Cup protection, and on the NBC News website.
NBA Playoffs
Last evening, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 to finish a four-game sweep of their second-round sequence. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 factors, whereas Ajay Mitchell added 28. The Thunder improved to 8-0 within the playoffs and can now play the winner of the San Antonio-Minnesota sequence within the convention finals.
But at the moment, the eye has shifted to James, who could have simply performed his remaining NBA recreation. In final evening’s loss, James scored 24 factors and grabbed 12 rebounds. But he additionally missed a late floater that may have given Los Angeles the lead with about 20 seconds remaining. He wouldn’t shoot once more on the Lakers’ remaining two possessions.
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For the primary time in his profession, James performed this season on an expiring contract, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer season. After the sport, James provided no hints on his future, saying he would focus on it along with his household earlier than making a choice.
“With my future, I don’t know, honestly,” James informed reporters.
(Robert Gauthier)
James averaged 20.9 factors, 6.1 rebounds and seven.2 assists per recreation in his twenty third season, growing every of these numbers within the postseason. No participant in NBA historical past has performed 24 seasons.
Earlier, the Cleveland Cavaliers held house court docket, defeating the Detroit Pistons 112-103 to even their sequence at 2-2. Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell had his finest recreation of the playoffs, scoring 43 factors, together with 39 within the second half, tying the playoff file for factors in a half.
World Cup Countdown
Leading as much as the 2026 World Cup, we’re counting down 26 gamers to look at. Today’s entry is Japan’s Takefusa Kubo.
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Known by some followers because the Japanese Messi, Kubo is a blur on the wing who’s trying to make a serious impression in his second World Cup look.
Kubo spent a major chunk of his youth profession on the famed La Masia academy in Barcelona, producing hype as a possible star. After Real Madrid loaned him to a sequence of golf equipment from 2019 to 2022, Kubo discovered his house in La Liga at Real Sociedad, with whom he’s scored 23 targets in 122 appearances since 2022.
Kubo has made worldwide appearances for Japan since 2019, although his profession has actually taken off since 2023. In his final 26 matches for Japan, Kubo has six targets, together with three in World Cup qualifiers.
Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad in motion in opposition to Sevilla FC on May 4, 2026 in Seville, Spain. (Fran Santiago / Getty Images)
(Fran Santiago)
What makes Kubo particular, nonetheless, will not be his goal-scoring skill. Instead, his pace and technical precision shall be key for Japan’s offensive assault. While Ayase Ueda is the staff’s striker, Kubo is the engine that drives Japan into advantageous positions.
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Kubo must also be lots motivated after a disappointing displaying at the newest World Cup. He didn’t have a purpose or help in two appearances in the course of the event in Qatar, wherein Japan made it to the Round of 16.
The Samurai Blue have but to make it additional than that spherical in any of its World Cup appearances. This time, nonetheless, Kubo could have the correct mix of youthful power and expertise to assist push his nation additional into competition.
Yesterday’s entry was Norway’s Erling Haaland. Read about him here.
Team USA
For the previous 4 years, director Rand Getlin and his crew filmed the U.S. males’s nationwide soccer staff, main as much as this summer season’s World Cup. They captured moments on the pitch and behind the scenes, attending to know the gamers intimately.
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“We filmed for 600 hours. We went to something like 11 or 12 countries,” Getlin stated. “We flew over 300,000 miles capturing these guys. And you got to distill it to five hours, right?”
Today, the completed product, a five-part docuseries titled “U.S. Against the World: Four Years With the Men’s National Soccer Team,” premieres on HBO Max. At first, most studios wouldn’t decide up the mission. In America, the place successful is all the things, the USMNT’s status was not serving to to promote executives on such a behemoth of a mission.
But the ultimate docuseries is what Getlin described as an “emotional ramp” to the 2026 World Cup event for audiences.
“Sports is the backdrop and, you know, if you feel like we’re at a place in society where we could use some positive, uplifting stories and you’re looking to invest in a group of young people who are desperately trying to make us proud, this is the show for you,” Getlin stated.
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For extra on the USMNT docuseries, read here.
What We’re Reading
She’s the best female pickleball player ever. And she’s solely 19.
Memphis Grizzlies ahead Brandon Clarke has died at 29 years outdated, the team announced in an announcement.
A decide dominated that Florida prosecutors can gain access to Tiger Woods’ medicine data.
When will the USMNT reveal its World Cup roster? Here’s what to know.
Craig Morton, who was the primary QB to begin within the Super Bowl for 2 totally different groups, died at 83.
The post positions for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes had been decided by random draw.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, school soccer coach Lane Kiffin cited “diversity” as a distinction between his old skool Ole Miss and his new college LSU.
What We’re Watching
In the NBA playoffs, there’s a pivotal Game 5 tonight on NBC/Peacock. The San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves are tied 2-2, and everybody shall be watching to see how Victor Wembanyama responds after being ejected within the second quarter of Game 4.
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Wembanyama has exited two video games early this postseason, the opposite because of a concussion. In his six full video games, he has averaged 24.6 factors and 12.6 rebounds per recreation.
All instances are Eastern:
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7 p.m.: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres vs. No. 3 Montreal Canadiens, on ESPN
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8 p.m.: No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, on NBC/Peacock
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9:30 p.m.: No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 3 Anaheim Ducks, on ESPN
That’s it for now! We’ll be again tomorrow.
This article was initially revealed on NBCNews.com