Knicks lean on Karl-Anthony Towns’ triple-double to beat Hawks, 114-98, in Game 4

The Knicks evened the series to 2-2 after beating the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4, 114-98, on Saturday night.

Here are the takeaways…

— Things started out pretty evenly between both teams in the first six minutes, with neither side able to get a lead of more than four points. After Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were responsible for New York’s first nine points, it was nice to see Mikal Bridges, in the starting lineup despite two consecutive poor performances which included being held scoreless in Game 3, get on the board with a driving layup on his first shot attempt.

Following the midway point of the first quarter, the Knicks closed the frame on a 14-6 run helped out by players not named Brunson or Towns to open up a seven-point lead headed into the second quarter. OG Anunoby, Bridges and Mitchell Robinson all played a part in the run and were able to get easy buckets down low.

Defensively, New York held Atlanta to 20 points in the first 12 minutes and that defense kept at it in the second quarter as the Hawks struggled to find consistent scoring. Part of that was because the Knicks were outrebounding Atlanta all throughout the first half, grabbing offensive boards that led to second-chance points and not allowing the Hawks to get near the glass themselves.

Sooner or later, New York’s lead grew to 16 points following a quick 10-4 spurt that included the Knicks scoring nine points in the span of 70 seconds thanks to back-to-back threes by Anunoby. Josh Hart, also coming off a tough shooting performance in Game 3, came alive to end the first half and scored nine of the Knicks’ last 11 points before halftime to put New York up, 58-44, at the break.

After going 1-for-12 for two points collectively in Game 3, Hart and Bridges went 7-for-11 with 17 points in the first half.

— Determined to make it a game, Atlanta began the second half on a 9-3 run to cut its deficit to eight points. The Knicks, though, countered immediately with an 11-0 run with Towns getting in the mix by dishing the rock. KAT was the biggest facilitator on the night with a playoff career-high 10 assists, the most on the team. 

Still, Towns didn’t let that stop him from being aggressive on offense as he scored the final seven points of the quarter for New York. His tip-in layup off an offensive rebound with three seconds left in the quarter gave the Knicks an 86-65 lead, their biggest lead of the night. Towns finished with 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting and secured 10 rebounds for his first career playoff triple-double and just the fifth triple-double of his career. 

Meanwhile, Anunoby had a double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds) while Hart was rebound shy of a double-double of his own.

— New York had things all but wrapped up in the fourth quarter and this time didn’t let the Hawks come back. Miles McBride came off the bench and scored eight of his 11 points in the final frame, shooting 3-for-6 from downtown. The Knicks as a whole shot 14-for-31 from three-point range and held Atlanta to 10-for-41 from deep, although Nickeil Alexander-Walker did go 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. 

Brunson scored 19 points but had six turnovers.

Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns

The big man came up big and did everything in this one by recording his first career playoff triple-double in a must-win sort of game for the Knicks.

Highlights

What’s next

The Knicks return home to MSG for Game 5 set for Tuesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Knicks lean on Karl-Anthony Towns’ triple-double to beat Hawks, 114-98, in Game 4

The Knicks evened the series to 2-2 after beating the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4, 114-98, on Saturday night.

Here are the takeaways…

— Things started out pretty evenly between both teams in the first six minutes, with neither side able to get a lead of more than four points. After Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were responsible for New York’s first nine points, it was nice to see Mikal Bridges, in the starting lineup despite two consecutive poor performances which included being held scoreless in Game 3, get on the board with a driving layup on his first shot attempt.

Following the midway point of the first quarter, the Knicks closed the frame on a 14-6 run helped out by players not named Brunson or Towns to open up a seven-point lead headed into the second quarter. OG Anunoby, Bridges and Mitchell Robinson all played a part in the run and were able to get easy buckets down low.

Defensively, New York held Atlanta to 20 points in the first 12 minutes and that defense kept at it in the second quarter as the Hawks struggled to find consistent scoring. Part of that was because the Knicks were outrebounding Atlanta all throughout the first half, grabbing offensive boards that led to second-chance points and not allowing the Hawks to get near the glass themselves.

Sooner or later, New York’s lead grew to 16 points following a quick 10-4 spurt that included the Knicks scoring nine points in the span of 70 seconds thanks to back-to-back threes by Anunoby. Josh Hart, also coming off a tough shooting performance in Game 3, came alive to end the first half and scored nine of the Knicks’ last 11 points before halftime to put New York up, 58-44, at the break.

After going 1-for-12 for two points collectively in Game 3, Hart and Bridges went 7-for-11 with 17 points in the first half.

— Determined to make it a game, Atlanta began the second half on a 9-3 run to cut its deficit to eight points. The Knicks, though, countered immediately with an 11-0 run with Towns getting in the mix by dishing the rock. KAT was the biggest facilitator on the night with a playoff career-high 10 assists, the most on the team. 

Still, Towns didn’t let that stop him from being aggressive on offense as he scored the final seven points of the quarter for New York. His tip-in layup off an offensive rebound with three seconds left in the quarter gave the Knicks an 86-65 lead, their biggest lead of the night. Towns finished with 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting and secured 10 rebounds for his first career playoff triple-double and just the fifth triple-double of his career. 

Meanwhile, Anunoby had a double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds) while Hart was rebound shy of a double-double of his own.

— New York had things all but wrapped up in the fourth quarter and this time didn’t let the Hawks come back. Miles McBride came off the bench and scored eight of his 11 points in the final frame, shooting 3-for-6 from downtown. The Knicks as a whole shot 14-for-31 from three-point range and held Atlanta to 10-for-41 from deep, although Nickeil Alexander-Walker did go 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. 

Brunson scored 19 points but had six turnovers.

Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns

The big man came up big and did everything in this one by recording his first career playoff triple-double in a must-win sort of game for the Knicks.

Highlights

What’s next

The Knicks return home to MSG for Game 5 set for Tuesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Houston Rockets jersey history No. 12 – Luc Mbah a Moute (2017-18)

The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.

To honor all of the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.

With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.

And for today’s article, we will continue with the 13th of 16 who wore the No. 12, big man alum Luc Mbah a Moute. After ending his college career at UCLA, Mbah a Moute was picked up with the 37th overall selection of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Yaounde, Cameroon native played the first five seasons of his pro career with Milwaukee. He also played for the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Clippers before he signed with the Houston Rockets in 2017. His stay with the team lasted until he returned to the Clips in 2018.

During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Mbah a Moute wore only jersey No. 12 and put up 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets jersey history No. 12 – Luc Mbah a Moute (2017-18)

Nils Lundkvist injury update: Stars D being hit in face by skate

Dallas Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist left Saturday’s Game 4 after taking a skate to the face.

The incident happened at 13:15 of the second period of the April 25 game in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Lundkvist had tripped Michael McCarron and the skate of the Minnesota forward came up and hit the defenseman in the face. Lundkvist had to go to the dressing room for repairs.

Lundkvist didn’t return to the game. The Stars and Wild went to overtime for a second consecutive game, with the Wild winning 3-2 tie even up the series at two games apiece.

Warning: Graphic video

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stars’ Nils Lundkvist leaves game after skate hits him in face

Cole Davies leads early; Seth Hammaker crashes on Lap 1

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania: Seth Hammaker crashed on the first lap of the 250 Feature at Lincoln Financial Field as Cole Davies took the lead on Lap 1.

Nicholas Romano, Seth Hammaker win Philadelphia Supercross 250 Heats
Hometown riders won both heats.
  • Dan Beaver

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In-Race Notes

Seth Hammaker took the early lead, but he cross-rutted on the first rhythm section and crashed. He fell to 21st as Cole Davies rode second.

Derek Kelley secured the early lead, but Davies took the position on Lap 2. He immediately scooted away from the field.

Davies crashed on Lap 3, but had a large enough gap on Kelley to keep from giving up the lead.

Daxton Bennick rounded out the top five.

The red flag waved on Lap 3. This benefitted Hammaker.

2026 NFL Draft: Alabama’s Josh Cuevas drafted in the 5th Round by the Baltimore Ravens

Nov 15, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama tight end Josh Cuevas (80) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Oklahoma at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Oklahoma defeated Alabama 23-21. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a somewhat surprising move, TE Josh Cuevas came off the board in the 5th round to the Baltimore Ravens. He’s a guys that’s been quite productive for Alabama this season after transferring in from Washington, but has overall been a guy that wasn’t talked about much outside of Alabama circles.

He consistently displayed reliable hands and good speed and run-after-catch production and was one of Ty Simpson’s most go-to targets in crunch situations. He was an adequate college blocker, but that lack of blocking dominance had many expecting him to be a late day 3 pick.

For the Ravens, they’re adding a good depth piece who can slide in at times and be a reliable playmaker and chain mover in the passing game.

Best of luck to Josh, and Roll Tide!

Colorado football among the programs with zero 2026 NFL Draft selections

This time last year, the Colorado Buffaloes world was a buzz with excitement following the 2025 NFL Draft. From Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide to the Buffs’ Heisman Winner going No. 2, there was no shortage of hype and conversation.

That is different this year, as a 3-9 season banished the Buffs to the basement of the Big 12 Conference, sinking much of the hype that had been built around the draft-eligible players. It’s part of the reason Colorado was one of 10 Power 4 programs without an NFL draft pick in 2026, joining the likes of fellow Big 12 schools West Virginia and Oklahoma State.

It’s the second time in head coach Deion Sanders’ tenure that the Buffs have gone without hearing their names called at the podium, with 2025, when four Buffaloes were drafted, appearing more as an outlier than a trend.

While Colorado was locked out of the 2026 draft by name, that doesn’t mean they didn’t play a role in some stars’ careers. That begins most notably at No. 8 in the draft, where the New Orleans Saints drafted former Colorado wideout Jordyn Tyson, who became a true standout at Arizona State over the last two seasons.

At the top of the second round, the New York Giants selected cornerback Colton Hood, who played his junior year at Colorado. That standout season of 24 tackles and two interceptions helped him land a spot at Tennessee, where he elevated his game to the point where many had him going in the first round.

Colorado players can still get their shot and become starters in the NFL, but they’ll have to do so as undrafted free agents. With far more talent on this year’s roster, the Buffs will try to buck the trend and send more players to the NFL in 2027.

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football has zero 2026 NFL Draft picks

Vikings Officially Announce 19 Undrafted Free Agent Signings

ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 06: Punter Brett Thorson #92 of the Georgia Bulldogs punts the ball prior to the SEC Championship Game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide on December 06, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Minnesota Vikings have officially announced the signing of 19 undrafted free agents in the wake of the 2026 NFL Draft coming to an end. Here is the full list, courtesy of a release sent out by the team.

  • Marcus Allen, CB, North Carolina
  • Da’Veawn Armstead, CB, North Texas
  • Dillon Bell, WR, Georgia
  • Jordan Botelho, OLB, Notre Dame
  • Tyreek Chappell, CB, Texas A&M
  • Monkell Goodwine, DL, South Carolina
  • Shaleak Knotts, WR, Maryland
  • Keli Lawson, LB, Central Florida
  • Tristan Leigh, OL, Clemson
  • Delby Lemieux, OL, Dartmouth
  • Kejon Owens, RB, Florida International
  • Tomas Rimac, OL, Virginia Tech
  • Marcus Sanders, WR, Georgia Southern
  • Jacob Thomas, S, James Madison
  • Brett Thorson, P, Georgia (International Player Pathway Program)
  • Arden Walker, OLB, Colorado
  • Scooby Williams, LB, Texas A&M
  • Luke Wysong, WR, Arizona

The biggest, and possibly the most interesting, name on the list might be Thorson. Yes, I understand that he’s a punter and that he’s technically listed as being a part of the International Player Pathway Program, meaning that if he doesn’t make the roster, the Vikings could keep him on the roster with an exemption. Thorson was also the winner of the Ray Guy Award for the best punter in the nation this past season, and he could give veteran Johnny Hekker a serious run for his money for the punting job in training camp.

But that’s the full and official list of all of the Vikings’ undrafted free agent signing, folks. Who are the names that catch your eye?

Texas forward Aaliyah Moore commits to Lady Vols basketball out of transfer portal

Texas forward Aaliyah Moore has committed to Lady Vols basketball out of the transfer portal, she announced April 25.

The 6-foot-1 senior did not play for the Longhorns this season on their repeat run to the Final Four due to a knee surgery last offseason. Moore’s five years at Texas have been hampered by knee injuries since her sophomore year.

“IM BACKKKK!! WHAT UP VOL NATION!!” Moore wrote in an Instagram post.