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Houston was staring down the end of their season, but the Rockets had other plans. Amen Thompson dropped twenty-three points and Tari Eason added twenty more as Houston dismantled the Lakers one hundred fifteen to ninety-six in Game four Sunday night, avoiding the sweep and keeping their postseason alive. Eason's performance without Kevin Durant in the lineup put him in rare company alongside Hakeem Olajuwon in the playoff record books — not a bad name to be mentioned next to. Game five goes Wednesday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will try to close it out on their home floor.
Shifting to baseball, Tampa Bay is quietly making a case for one of the more interesting teams in the American League. The Rays swept their latest series, improving to eleven and one against non-National League Central opponents. That split is striking — five and ten against NL Central clubs, dominant against everyone else. Griffin Jax opened the game and the bullpen handled the rest in a four to two win over the Twins.
And in Boston, the Red Sox got exactly the lift they needed. Chad Tracy won his managerial debut as Willson Contreras launched a two-run home run and Connelly Early pitched deep into the game in a victory over Baltimore — a genuinely clean start to a new era in Fenway.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
